Operation: Hurricane
by Izreina Maxwell
Summary: Sequel to 'Heart of the Storm'... Set six years later... Heero's sister, Trinity intercepts a message that neither of her counterparts can sense... Was the project that gave them their abilities sold to others?
1. Prologue

AN: I promise, it's not a rewrite... just a few tweaking and spell checking... it's freaking hilarious that the spell/grammar check kept stopping on nearly every sentance of Duo's dialogue... hehe

Anyhoo, YES, I'm getting back to work on my Gundam Wing stories. I think nearly a year is enough of a hiatus, don't you? Besides, I don't like leaving things unfinished. This one will wrap up soon. And ZERO... you have kicked my butt for the last time... I accept the challenge of finishing you!

Standard disclaimer applies... I don't own it, just love it.

Operation: Hurricane

Prologue

_A blinding bright light._

_The smell of blood._

_The taste of metal._

_An indescribable pain coursing throughout the body._

_And a scream before the darkness came._

Trinity let out a scream as her eyes shot open, staring through tears into those of her lover, positioned over her, her arms and legs held tightly by his. The convulsions had started again sometime during her dream, which had been recurring for the last four nights. But, this time, they were apparently bad enough he had to restrain her to keep her from hurting herself. She gasped for breath as she felt his grip relax.

"Trinity…?" he asked, his voice soft and controlled, but full of concern, silent panic behind his eyes. He didn't receive a response from her, or even an acknowledgement that she heard him. "Can you hear me?" He released his grip around one of her arms and reached up to brush bangs wet from sweat and tears out of her face.

She didn't trust her voice to forge a coherent reply, and she couldn't get her aching body to cooperate to give any type of response, but her eyes, full of pain and fear, never left her lover's. She felt his weight shift off of her, but she still had difficulty finding her breath. She couldn't get her mind to focus on anything, much less controlling her breathing. She closed her eyes a moment, trying to gain control over herself, force her senses to come around. Her eyes opened again as she heard her lover addressing someone else in the room.

"The convulsions started about twenty minutes ago, but they weren't violent until about two minutes ago. She just woke up. I know she can hear me, but I can't get her to respond." A pause. "I don't think this is a side effect of the inhibitors."

Trinity's eyes flashed a sign of panic as her lover moved out of her line of sight, but relaxed as her brother's face took his place. She continued to gasp for air as she grasped her brother's hand tightly, her eyes pleading to him for help.

"I agree, Zechs," he responded to her lover, his eyes remaining locked with hers as his hand wrapped tightly around hers. The intensity in his cobalt gaze instructed her that she must recover the soldier in her in order to regain her control. "The seizures would have started months ago if that were the case."

She managed to give him a single nod in understanding as her eyes closed again, forcing her mind to search for a part of her that she had buried over the last few years. When they opened again, several moments later, the intensity in her eyes matched his as she was able to grasp control of herself. Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out…

"Aunt Sally says she's about five minutes out." Trinity's gaze moved to her bedroom door as she managed to gain control over her breathing. Her fifteen-year-old son slipped his cell phone into the pocket of his shorts as his eyes met and reflected hers. Behind him, his eleven-year-old sisters were tightly holding on to one another. And her sister-in-law stood behind them, her arms wrapped around the girls' shoulders while her own seven-year-old son held tightly to the arm of her robe.

Heero nodded, his gaze never leaving his sister's as her eyes returned to him. "Go get your mother a glass of water," he said towards the door and Michael quietly nodded his understanding before heading for the stairs. Relena didn't even wait for instructions as she ushered the girls down the hallway, Aaron trailing behind her. He gave a brief glance to Zechs as he sat on the edge of the bed beside Trinity. "The dream?" He only received a nod in return. "It was different this time…" This was a statement, not a question. Something must have been different for her episode to have woken the entire household.

"Something must be breaking through the inhibitors." She nodded in silent agreement with her lover's remark as he settled on her other side, dabbing at her forehead with a cool damp washcloth.

That's the only explanation for the dream. The inhibitors, drugs that were designed to nullify any effects of the psi devices that were responsible for The Storm's telepathy, were still in the experimental stage. The plans were found in the computer that Trinity and Heero's father had given him before his death. Sally had strongly stressed her opposition to the project, as there had apparently been a reason the drugs were never manufactured to begin with. Plus the scope of seriousness of the side effects greatly outweighed the advantages. But Trinity had been willing to give it a try, if nothing more than to confirm or deny its effectiveness, and for several months, there were no side effects, the drugs doing exactly what they were supposed to. But this dream… it couldn't be a side effect; it had to be something trying to break through to cause her this much anguish.

But what did it mean? The only thing visible was the blinding light throughout the entire dream. And no normal dream would affect the other senses as this had. No normal dream would repeat itself as often and consistent. The scent of blood would linger in her nostrils for hours. The taste of metal, she felt throughout her mouth. The scream burned into her ears, leaving them ringing. An ordinary dream this certainly wasn't. Nor would it have been a hallucination from the drugs, or she would have had them from the moment she started taking them. No, this was definitely something pushing through the inhibitors.

"Help…," she whispered, shakily, still unable to find her voice. Even the whisper was strained through the scratchiness of her throat. It was then clear that the reason she had woken the entire household was because she had been screaming the entire time during her convulsions. She took a fortifying breath and tried again, still only a whisper. "It's… a cr-cry for help…"

Michael returned to her room with the glass of water and Sally in tow behind him. He passed the glass to his father as his uncle left his place beside his mother, still holding tightly to her hand. Michael moved to the foot of the bed and folded his arms as he leaned against the dresser, his eyes never leaving his mother's. Neither Heero nor Zechs asked him to leave again. They knew that he wouldn't, his concern for those he cared about and the need to protect them wouldn't allow him to leave until he knew, for certain, that she was alright. A cry for help? From whom? He knew none of their extended family was involved with a mission at the moment, at least, nothing that would put them in any real danger. And the questioning gaze he exchanged with his father and uncle confirmed it. So where was this call coming from? And how was it so strong that it was reaching his mother through the inhibitors? He took his phone out of his pocket and quietly excused himself from the room, flipping it open as he stepped out into the hall.

Sally took Heero's previous position on the side of the bed, only briefly checking over Trinity's vitals. She recognized the intensity of a soldier in the woman's cobalt eyes and immediately understood that Trinity had her respiration and heart rate under control. She asked Zechs how long the convulsions lasted this time, and how violent they were. She came to the same conclusion about Trinity's dream, but she still wasn't convinced that the convulsions weren't an effect of the drugs. "I'm almost afraid to stop the injections cold turkey…" She hesitated a moment before she continued. "I told you from the beginning I didn't know if there was a threat of dependency… And I don't know what kind of effect the sudden reconnection to your psi device will have on your mind, since you've been without it for so long… But it may take weeks to wean you off of them…"

Zechs lifted Trinity's head off her pillow long enough to guide the glass of water to her lips. She took a deep drink before lying back down. The cool liquid soothed her burning throat and she found her voice, though strained and weak. "I… I d-don't know who it m-might be, but… I… I don't th-think they have weeks to w-w-wait…" She took another fortifying breath and held it for a moment as she forced her voice to cooperate, and when she spoke again, her soldier's voice was loud and clear. "I'll take my chances cold turkey…" After all, if she could quit smoking cold turkey, these drugs should be no problem at all, not for a soldier, not for a Yuy. And if this was, indeed, a cry for help, she'd need a clearer view of the dream, a view that would only come once the effects wore off.

* * *

><p>"Thanks, Michael. Try to get some rest, honey. G'night." Izreina replaced the phone's receiver on the cradle and stared down at it for a long moment before looking up to her sister-in-law. They had both woken as soon as they sensed Trinity in danger. But they hadn't gotten a clear picture of what had happened until Michael phoned. She tossed a braid that was now nearly as long as her brother's over her shoulder, her violet eyes never leaving Kalli's, the question in them hardly needing telepathy to read accurately. Michael's question had been valid and his concerns were shared. If Trinity's recurring dream had been a telepathic call for help, why hadn't Izreina and Kalli sensed it, as well? And how was it strong enough to break through the inhibitors?<p>

Kalli closed her eyes a moment, leaning back into her husband's chest as his hands slid off her shoulders and down her arms to encircle her. She shook her head at her sister-in-law, having no answer. It just wasn't logical, unless… Her aquamarine eyes opened to meet her counterpart's. …Unless the message was intended only for Trinity. If that's the case… who the hell sent it? And how were they able to single out Trinity's mind, unless they knew her well, and had the psi device themselves?

Izreina hesitated a moment before nodding her confirmation on the conclusion, closing her own eyes a moment as her husband rested his hands on her shoulders. It was a thought neither one of them liked. And the question that came to their minds left a very bad taste in her mouth. Who else besides the Barton Foundation purchased the psi project from Odin Lowe? Lowe's computer hadn't identified any other buyers. There was no way to be certain at the moment. Not until the drugs cleared out of Trinity's system and her mind could reconnect with the device. So much for retirement, she thought to herself, and Kalli intercepted it, nodding, offering a grim smile in agreement.

Quatre and Trowa exchanged glances, the questions in their eyes clearly read by one another and the answer equally obvious. Neither of them dared to interrupt the thoughts of their wives as they recognized, in their eyes, two soldiers formulating a plan of action. They both knew the Storm was coming out of retirement, and that the mission ahead was something beyond the capability of the gundam pilots.

"Mommy…" They all jumped and turned to the small voice that came from the doorway. Six-year-old Jacob Winner ran into his mother's open arms.

Izreina scooped him up as Quatre ran a hair through the boy's fine blond hair. "Did you have another nightmare, sweetie?" She glanced over to her sister-in-law, brows furrowed with worry, and Kalli responded with a similar glance.

Jacob nodded as he wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. "Mommy, is Aunt Triny gonna be okay?"

Izreina looked down briefly, meeting his eyes, the same color as hers. "How do you know something is wrong with Aunt Triny?" She looked back to Kalli, their eyes suddenly filled with fear. Jacob's nightmares had started when Trinity's seizures had; did he sense what they couldn't?

"I hurt… Here…" He loosened an arm from her neck long enough to place a hand over his heart. "And I just know its Aunt Triny… She hurts… Is she gonna be okay?"

* * *

><p>The girl's eyes shot open and she stared, wide-eyed at the ceiling of her room as she gasped for breath. The leather straps that bound her to the hospital bed and the sting in her wrists and ankles indicated the convulsions had been violent this time. The white room refused to stop spinning around her as she tried to focus on the words being spoken by one of the lab technicians to the doctor.<p>

"Twenty minutes this time, much more violent. Her body is continuing to react negatively to the implant. Her temperature continues to rise and the seizures are more frequent."

She continued to try to find her breath, panicking with each passing second as her mind tried to find the presence it had connected to, found safety in. She struggled against the bonds, hoping to whatever god that was listening that her plea had been read accurately by the presence in her dream. She tried to scream in fear, but she had no voice, they had taken it from her. She wouldn't have been able to keep a breath long enough to try, anyway.

"Keep her sedated and monitored. We do nothing until we hear from the higher-ups. And do what you can to bring her temperature down. We certainly won't get anywhere if she suffers brain damage."

Her wide eyes stared at the man pushing a fluid into her IV. He intentionally avoided her frightened gaze and she sensed he hated his part in whatever this insanity was. The one brief glance he exchanged with her was full of sadness, regret. And she could swear she could hear him speak an apology, but his lips didn't move. Her eyelids grew heavy a moment after she felt the warmth of the new drug enter her, and she began to lose feeling in her extremities as they drifted close. She prayed she would find the safety of the presence in her dream again as she drifted to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter One

Trinity had never in her life had a hangover, but she was pretty sure it would feel something like this. No usual over the counter medication did anything to help the pounding headache she had awoken with. And the nausea was so overwhelming she didn't even bother to try to roll out of bed. The sedative Sally had given her to help her sleep had done its job, she slept without further intrusion. She moaned into her pillow as she rolled over and buried her face into it. If missing one dose of the drug made her feel this bad, she only hoped that it got better over time, rather than worse.

She felt a sag in the bed beside her and she didn't bother to attempt to see who it was as she felt his fingers comb through her hair. "Something I can get you, Mom?" His voice was tired, and Trinity wondered if her son ever went back to bed last night.

She forced her head to the side, and her eyes opened just briefly to offer him a small painful smile. "No, Michael. Thank you. Shouldn't you be in school?" she asked as she reburied her head into her pillow.

"I'm not going. Someone needs to stay here and take care of you." He shook his head as she looked at him again, the attempted glare in her eyes not even nearly up to par. "Aunt Sally said the first twenty-four hours without the medication are probably going to be the worst, and I sure as Hell am not going to leave you alone in this condition. We've already discussed it, and Dad, Uncle Heero and Aunt Relena cannot afford to take the time off, so I volunteered. I've already spoken with my principle and teachers. They'll allow me the week as long as I don't fall behind, which won't be a problem, my teachers are going to e-mail me my assignments and Casey and Lucas are coming over after school so I can copy their notes."

She gave herself a chuckle as lightly as her head would allow it. Casey Lange and Lucas Kale had been Michael's best friends since grade school. The boys were so close they even called her 'Mom' and she, in turn, considered them part of the family. She had yet to really meet their parents in person, but she shared many phone calls with their mothers. They were good boys, and excellent students, so she had no doubt that Michael's schoolwork would be well taken care of.

"How did you manage that?" she asked, muffled by the pillow. "Those people are pretty strict about attendance."

"Marimeia's mom is inducting me into the Preventers for the week and my assignment is as your bodyguard." He grinned down to her as she raised a brow; another failed attempt at a glare crossed her face before she let her head fall into the pillow again. "Seriously, the Lady wrote a formal excuse for me saying this was an official Preventer matter and they accepted it. I talked to her last night after I called Aunt Kal and Aunt Iz." He shook her head as she looked back up to him, about to speak. "No arguments, I've already taken care of everything. You just rest. Tea?"

She nodded after a moment as she dropped her head back into the pillow and moaned again. She sighed as she felt his weight slide off the bed and listened to him softly pad across the carpet to the door, quietly shutting it behind him.

_He's a good kid, Trin… You've done a great job raising him._

She would have smiled if Kalli's mental voice hadn't been accompanied with an even greater pain than her head was already in. And she fought hard to keep the nausea down, but the comfort in connecting with her 'sisters' again was slowly beginning to help ease it. First there was Kalli's presence, and then Izreina's followed. After nearly seven months of silence, they were on their way to becoming one again, heart, body, and mind.

_There's no denying how much he loves his mother._

She didn't reply to them, but they felt her appreciation. No other words were spoken as they just offered their presences for her to hold on to, to fight with her, because the worst was yet to come.

* * *

><p>"Do you want to explain to me why we're being involved in a simple missing persons case?" Zechs gave a side-glance down to Une as the two of them walked down the long hallway at the local police office. He couldn't say he was happy, period, about spending the day working when he felt guilty about leaving Trinity at home in her condition. He had no doubt that Michael would tend to her, he was very protective of his family. Zechs admired his son's maturity, but there were times he reminded him too much of himself at that age.<p>

The woman gave a shrug as she looked through the file that had been presented to them when they had walked in. "I wish I knew, Saunders only said it would be worth our while to be included in the investigation… I always hated that guy..." The local police chief, Joseph Saunders, they knew well. He had been a subordinate in OZ, one she was always dealing with. She had never understood Mister Treize's patience with him. And how the hell someone put him in charge of an armed force of nearly forty officers, she didn't know. He had never done much good as an OZ officer, but his loyalties were never in question, which was why she was now giving him the benefit of the doubt.

She pushed her reading glasses further up on her nose as they kept sliding down. Why the hell did these places always seem to have an air conditioning problem? "Nothing seems out of the ordinary… Kiera Jameson, age fifteen. Mother, Georgia Jameson, deceased. Father, William Jameson. He works from home... runs some kind of online auction site." She passed the photograph of the girl over to Zechs and turned to the next page of the file. "Cute kid. Dad reported her missing when she didn't come home from school on Wednesday, and when he called the school, they told him she never arrived that morning. She's been missing a total of five days, now."

Zechs took the photograph, looking it over. It was a school ID picture; he recognized the school's mascot painted on the wall behind the girl. Kushrenada Academy, named after OZ's distinguished leader. It was a pretty prestigious high school; no student with less than a 4.0 grade average was admitted, but its roster included almost three hundred students. "Michael goes to this school…" His gaze shifted to the girl in front. "They're sticklers for attendance; didn't they call the father when she didn't show up?" He raised a brow as he gave her another glance.

"No… and that's only one of my concerns. I had to write a formal letter excusing Michael for the week, and I sat on the phone with his principle for an hour this morning to confirm that it was me writing it. The bastard gave me the third degree about the whole bit…" She shook her head as Zechs handed the photo back to her and she closed the file. She removed her reading glasses, tucking them into her jacket pocket. "Something's not right about the place… And they don't seem at all concerned for Miss Jameson's disappearance, there's not even a statement in here from school administration or her teachers."

"If they knew about the girl's disappearance, I can see why they'd need verification from you regarding Michael's absence… But it's still odd that they wouldn't be even a little concerned about hers…" He nodded, running a hand through his hair that had been cut just below his ears after losing a bet to Trinity. He gave Une another glance as they reached the chief's office door. "So, why am I with you for this?"

She looked up at him as she knocked on the glass window pane on the door. "Because you needed to get out of the office, Zechs. I know you're concerned about Trinity, we all are. But you came to work, not mope around the office, so I'm putting you to work. Plus, I'm not going to deal with Saunders by myself. I spent enough time cleaning up his messes back in OZ. I don't know what kind of idiot gave him a gun and decided he'd make a good cop…" She added her last thought in a whisper upon hearing footsteps on the other side of the door.

The door opened and she was met with a forced smile in greeting; it gave Une the impression that he might have heard her little remark, but wasn't too concerned with it as he offered his hand, which she shook only briefly. "Chief Saunders," she greeted with a fake smile of her own, that certainly wasn't lost on the shorter man. "It's been a long time, a pleasure to see you again." She nodded towards Zechs as he released her hand. "General Milliardo Peacecraft."

"Zechs Merquis…" Saunders offered his hand and gave Zech's a firm shake before stepping aside, admitting them into the office. "It's difficult for any old OZ soldier to forget the infamous Lightning Count… Please, have a seat. Mister… Jameson… will be here shortly. Please hold off your questions until he arrives. I'm actually pleased you brought Zechs along, Lady Une. Because you were both asked for, by name…"

Zechs and Une exchanged a glance with each other as they both caught the police chief's hesitation on the man's name. And they both elected to remain standing and they moved to one side of the office as he closed the door.

"So, William Jameson asked for Preventer involvement?"Une raised a brow as she opened up the file folder again to have another look at it, to see if there was something she had missed.

"No… I'm sorry… I guess I didn't make myself clear on the phone. He wasn't asking for the Preventers. He was asking for you, specifically." He stepped aside as his office door opened without as much as a knock.

Zechs and Une exchanged another glance as she asked, "Why?"

"Because I need someone I can trust," said the newcomer as he stepped in the door, meeting Une's wide eyes as she dropped the folder, taking in a short gasp of breath.

Zechs' eyes narrowed at the man as he closed the door behind him. A single word he managed to force out through his clenched jaw. "Treize…"

* * *

><p>"<em>So the seizures are getting worse?"<em>Noin's voice was full of concern as her image on the computer screen furrowed her brows.

Izreina nodded as she leaned back in Quatre's office chair. "She's elected to discontinue the inhibitor injections so that she might get a clearer picture on what's going on. She's certain it's a mental call for help, but Kal and I haven't heard it. It seems to be directed only to Trinity." She twiddled a lock of her long, unbraided hair around one finger. "Sally's convinced the seizures were an effect of the drugs trying to fight the intrusion, but I'm worried that they may be connected to the person sending the message… And I'm frightened to think of what will happen when Trinity has a full connection…"

"_You think it might be an assassination attempt? Like what Barton tried to do when he had Trinity shut off your and Kal's devices? What do Zechs and Heero think about it?"_

"I don't think either of them is thinking clearly at all. Heero has his hands full at the moment, with Relena getting ready for the conference next week. And Zechs…" She shook her head. "I don't think he's had any sleep since they started… If it weren't for Michael, that household would be falling apart… And no, I don't think it might be an assassination attempt, I trust Trinity's instinct on it. The dream that accompanies the seizures is too vivid. I know you all can't fully understand these connections, Noin, even after all the research that you and Sally have done. Just trust us."

"_We always have, Iz. Now tell me what I can do to help. I know that's why you called."_

"Noin," she paused a moment, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. "Jacob has been sensing Trinity's distress. He's been having nightmares about something happening to her, and he feels a pain in his chest. The nightmares started the same night as her seizures and he said they only happen when he knows she's in trouble. I haven't said anything to Trinity about it, and I haven't told Sally about it because she's going to want me to bring him in for God knows what kind of testing. I don't want him to go through the same kind of scrutiny that we did when those damned devices were implanted. I know Quatre has some natural talent in empathy, but he hasn't sensed anything, not even what this has done to Jacob. Neither have I. Neither has Kalli. Whatever is affecting Trinity is affecting Jacob, by extension."

"_Could there be a lingering connection with Trinity from when Jacob was born?"_

Izreina raised a questioning brow more toward herself, than to Noin. She thought back to the birth, and almost death, of her son. Sally had kept an almost constant watch on the baby's development, Izreina was pretty sure she had more prenatal exams than was necessary. But neither of them had any idea of what kind of stress the, at the time, recent emotional rollercoaster the Storm had experienced would put on the infant. Izreina's pregnancy had been pretty average right through the last trimester, except for a much more personal emotional connection to the child due to the implant. But Sally had still given her strict orders to keep her from as much strain, emotional and physical, as possible. But still, with the already elevated hormone levels of a pregnant woman, mixed with the emotional unbalance of the Storm and the connection between them, Izreina had blood pressure problems. They hadn't been anything to worry about; it was a common occurrence for pregnant women to have high blood pressure. But the connection to the emotional roller coasters of her family during a rather out of control party that shouldn't have been… Things got out of hand, and the connection unwittingly was extended to her unborn child, overwhelming his undeveloped mind.

Had it not been Trinity, having taken full control over the child's mind in order to force control over its vital signs, her son would not have survived. It was an enormous risk, because if she hadn't succeeded, she would have died with the infant. A more permanent link could have, indeed, been established, because of the trauma of the incident. Much like the link Trinity shared with Izreina and Kalli for so many years. The only question, still, is why it was affecting Jacob and not Izreina or Kalli. "I hadn't thought about that… apparently you understand more than I thought, Noin…"

"_Sally limited her research to the Psi Project, specifically. I did outside research regarding thoughts and theories on extra sensory perception in general. I wanted to get an understanding on why someone would attempt such an experiment in the first place. I'm still finding more and newer information, even after all these years."_ She paused a moment as she turned to another computer. _"It's… unnerving to think of some of the damage that those devices are making you girls capable of…" _She gave Izreina a small but pained smile as she worked at the keyboard. _"Makes me glad you're on our side…" _There were several more moments of only the clickity-clack of her fingers flying over the keys. _"So Sally's willing to suddenly stop the inhibitor injections completely? Wouldn't that be dangerous?"_

"Sally voiced her opinion, she didn't think it was a good idea, but it was Trin's decision. She's very certain it's a cry for help, and she's certain whoever it is doesn't have time for her to wean herself off the drugs. She's… already having typical withdrawal symptoms, even after missing just one dose. And Kal and I have been able to reach her, mentally, but she hasn't been able to respond, yet. I'm hoping we'll be able to connect to her dream tonight, find out exactly what the hell is going on…"

Noin stopped her typing to look at her friend, pausing a moment before speaking. _"Just be careful, Iz. If the seizures are connected to the person trying to contact her, they might affect you and Kal, too… and Jacob if he's connected to Trinity…"_

"Trowa and Quatre are napping now so they can stay up and keep vigil over us tonight. I don't know what to do about Jacob…" Izreina ran her fingers through her hair, separating it into three equal parts and began braiding it.

"_You need to tell Trinity about it…"_Noin smiled with a small chuckle as Izreina finished the braid, wrapping a holder around the tail."_And I'd wish you'd cut that hair… You look way too much like Duo as it is… You DO want us to be able to tell you two apart, right?"_

Izreina gave a small, yet worried smile. "What's to tell? I've got the boobs, he's got the… well… I'm not going to sit here and talk about my brother's 'stuff'… That's Hilde's job… I tell you, she's a great girl, but I've learned way more about my brother's love life than I ever wanted to know… And Relena's just as bad when you get her started… Apparently, Heero's pretty… talented…"

Noin smiled again, nodding. _"Relena's not exactly innocent, herself… You try living in the same house with them… There's a reason Zechs had that room sound proofed, and it wasn't to keep people from recording the more… undesirable activities of the Vice-Foreign Minister…"_

Izreina couldn't fight the laughter building up inside of her, her worry subsiding for the moment. "Oh, I've heard…" She shook her head, smiling. "Thanks for the laugh, Noin."

"_Anytime… now talk to Trin before tonight. I've no doubt she knows how to protect Jacob from any danger."_


	3. Chapter 2

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Two

She needed air. She felt as if her heart was trying to beat itself out of her chest, she couldn't breathe, her cheeks were so flushed, they were nearly as red as her daughter's hair. She stood on the rooftop of the police station, trying to figure out what the hell just happened! Or she was trying to tell herself that what she thought happened didn't. Either way, flustered didn't even begin to describe what she was feeling at the moment. She wrapped her arms around herself, forcing herself to breathe. This was NOT the way she'd planned on spending the day. There was enough to be concerned with, with Trinity's situation. But now… She shook her head, trying to convince herself that the man she saw in Saunder's office was NOT, in fact, Treize Kushrenada. She was failing miserably. The likeness was too perfect, save for the strands of gray through his hair. And the way he looked at her, his eyes… Despite all this, despite the fact that the man, personally, specifically asked for her and Zechs' help… there was no way in Heaven or Hell that was Treize Kushrenada.

She closed her eyes tightly, scolding herself for her abrupt exit. She must have looked like a damn fool, running out of that office like she did, and her rush down the hall. She certainly felt like a damn fool. She concentrated solely on breathing for the moment. In… out… in… out. She was so engrossed in her task, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching behind her, and nearly jumped out of her skin when the voice spoke, so softly, so articulate, exactly the voice of the man she knew and loved a long time ago.

He had been hesitant about following her. But he knew this was a conversation that needed to take place, before anything else. He hadn't wanted to meet her again, not this way… Hadn't wanted to hurt her… But he needed her help, he trusted her more than he trusted anyone in his life. "I don't know what I could possibly say to you, my Lady," he started, pausing momentarily to catch her as she spun around, losing her balance with the sudden movement. His always captivating gaze met hers as he helped to steady her, gently holding her by the arms. "No apology would be sincere enough."

"Mister Treize…," she whispered, unable to say more. Her wide eyes remained locked with his for what felt like an eternity as millions of questions ran through her mind. She had always known there was a slim possibility he had survived that final battle with Wufei, because no body had been recovered. She had thoroughly interrogated Zechs when he 'rose from the dead' and returned a year later with the Talgeese, knowing she, along with the rest of humanity, saw its complete destruction. But how had he survived? And how the hell has he managed to live the last fourteen years in secret? Surely there were people who would have recognized him; he had been way too much of a figurehead, especially during those last days of war. She closed her eyes, forcing the tears gathering to stop as she tore herself out of his grip, shaking her head. "I don't believe this…" She stepped away from him. No… this wasn't possible, this wasn't real… this was a dream.

"I don't blame you." He remained where he stood, neither approaching her, nor backing away. Instead, he slipped his hands into the pockets of his pleated slacks, just watching her as she tried to find an explanation, pacing back and forth, intentionally avoiding his gaze. He hated what his sudden reappearance had made her feel. He had always known that her feelings for him had gone far beyond those of duty. She had loved him, though she never said it, he knew. He took a hesitant breath before he tried to explain, wishing he could offer more comfort than words.

"There was no place for Treize Kushrenada in the new world created by the war's end. I was destined to die on that battlefield. Fate spared me, not for my sake, but for my family's. You never knew I had a younger brother, did you, Lady Une?" He paused, courteously, to allow her time to answer if she chose to. She didn't respond and he nodded in understanding before continuing.

"Not many did. His name was Kiernan. He was hidden when we were kids. Father knew I was destined for greatness, and my baby brother needed protection against those who might use him against me. He was a sickly child, and would never be able to care for himself, much less protect himself. It was sometime before the end of the war that I first heard from him since he was hidden away, other than letters, that is. His illness was worsening and he was dying. He would be leaving a new bride and infant behind with no one to care for them. I made a promise to him that, if I survived the war, I would provide for his family… It was Kiernan's idea that I take the name he was using at that time, take his place as Georgia's husband and father of their daughter, Kiera. Georgia was supportive of his decision, she'd known from the beginning his illness was fatal, and they were prepared for his death. But the night he died, she committed suicide. Kiera was only a year old."

Une had stopped her pacing, but still kept her distance, still avoided his eyes. She was breathing now, but it was still very conscious. In… out… in… out… She'd thought about pinching herself, but her fingernails digging through the arms of her jacket as she held herself gave the end result a pinch would have. It hurt like hell. This was no dream. She didn't know what to say to him. She didn't trust her voice to cooperate even if she did.

"I know fourteen years is a long time, I've rather enjoyed being a normal person. And Kiera's been such a blessing. But once I called authorities about her disappearance, I knew I would have to find someone I could trust, which was why I called Saunders, and why I asked for you and Zechs to be involved. I know the Preventers don't have jurisdiction over such cases, but… as an old friend…" He slowly approached her, extending a hand towards her. "Can I count on your help?"

She stared down at the rooftop, for several long moments before allowing herself to meet his eyes, tentatively taking his offered hand. "I…," she swallowed hard, forcing her voice to cooperate. "I can't… speak for Zechs…" God knows he has enough problems right now. "He… he still…"

He smiled softly as he grasped her hand, tightly. "Yes, I know… he still has hard feelings… I knew it was a long shot..." His smile fell, looking down to her."But, I know Zechs' son attends the academy as well… And I have this odd suspicion they may be involved… I had to give him the option to say 'no'…"

She closed her eyes again, to gather herself together. "I doubt he'll say 'no'… It may take him some time to come around, but…" Her eyes shot open and she met his gaze again. "How did you know about Zechs' son?" Michael was still going by his mother's name. No one, except those closest to the family, knew that Milliardo Peacecraft was his father.

"I'm not completely without resources, Lady… Besides, Kiera told me. She and Michael Yuy apparently know each other, pretty well. She confessed to having quite a heavy crush on the boy. She showed me his yearbook photo… He's a splitting image of his father. It would be difficult NOT to make the connection…" He paused for a moment. "There's nothing Kiera doesn't talk to me about, nothing she even fears to talk to me about. I knew something was wrong when she didn't come home, or even phone. That's not like her. That's why I immediately called Saunders when I got off the phone with the school."

She cursed herself for the feeling of childishness and selfishness she was showing. She was so conflicted over how she felt about this man, coming back to life, coming back INTO her life. She hadn't completely grasped that he had risked exposure, because his niece, no, his DAUGHTER, has been missing for days. And he was asking for her help in finding her. The way he held her, even now, in such high regard, it still amazed her. She took a final moment to compose herself, to force her thoughts on what was truly important. "I think… I think we need to go back down to Saunders' office and talk about this…" Her voice was shaky, but she made it perfectly clear to herself to deal with one problem at a time.

He nodded, releasing her hand, inviting for her to lead the way. He knew she was still coping, but he also knew that would take time. He was just happy for her help, and he knew she would do everything in her power. And it wouldn't take long for Zechs to offer his help. He had no doubt, that if the school was involved in his daughter's disappearance, that other students may be in danger, as well.

* * *

><p>Michael gave one of his best friends 'the glare' as Casey put a plate of… something… down on the floor in front of a very fat black and white cat. "Please don't feed that to Oreo… Something not intended for human consumption does NOT automatically make it pet food… I don't even classify that as food of any sort…" The cat named Oreo tentatively approached the plate, its eyes studying Casey for a long moment as it sniffed at the lump of whatever it was. Oreo promptly hissed at it and Casey before wandering off to its own food bowl. Michael stifled a chuckle as Casey picked the plate back up and tossed the contents into the garbage can. "Good boy, Oreo… Casey, no offense, but your mom can't cook." He turned back to his laptop to continue his typing.<p>

"Dude… why do you think I always buy my lunch at school and eat dinner with you guys?" Casey placed the empty plate in the sink and washed his hands. He walked back to the kitchen table as he dried his hands on a dish towel. "Cafeteria food is not the best, but it's at least edible…" He hopped up onto the counter, setting the towel down beside him.

Lucas leaned back onto the back two legs of his chair, holding on to the side of the table with one hand to give the cat a scratch with the other as he nibbled at the bits in his food bowl, which earned him a very loud purr. "Whatever gave her the idea that she could, anyway?"

"Dunno… Since Dad came back and is fully supporting us, she quit her job to take care of the house and stuff. You'd think she'd learn by now that the smoke alarm is not a food timer…"

"Give your mother some credit, Casey, she's trying." Trinity walked, or rather dragged herself, into the kitchen. She leaned against the wall as she opened up the refrigerator. She didn't have the massive headache anymore, but she still hadn't been able to keep anything down. She needed to try to eat something. "And get off my kitchen counter, there are plenty of places to sit at the table. Lucas, all four chair legs on the floor, please." She closed the refrigerator door, deciding nothing really looked appetizing. "What does your father do, Casey? I can't say I've ever heard you or JoAnne speak of him." She opened a cabinet just beside him and pulled down a box of saltine crackers. She had to confess, old habits really did die hard. When she first met the boys, she did an extensive background check on both of Lucas' parents and Casey's mother, JoAnne. But she had never been able to find information on Casey's father. She didn't pay it much mind back then, because he wasn't in the picture. Now that he was, she was curious, and slightly disturbed that she still hadn't been able to find anything on him.

"Some kind of doctor… psychiatry, psychology, something like that. He doesn't say much about it. Doesn't like to talk about work at home… And I know Mom's trying," he said with a grin as he slid off the counter. "I just wish she wouldn't use me and Dad as guinea pigs…" He gave Trinity a quick hug with a light kiss on the cheek as Lucas settled his chair back onto all four of its legs. "How're you feeling, Momma Trin?"

Some kind of doctor… She didn't like the sound of that, especially since Casey wasn't exactly sure in what field. Had he been a practicing doctor, of any kind, his name would be listed SOMEWHERE. She slid into one of the dining chairs, nibbling on a cracker from the box. Maybe she was just being paranoid. There were, even after fourteen years, still people who were trying to re-establish their lives after the war. To what lengths they took to keep their pasts in the past, depended on what kind of position they had held with whatever faction they had served. But still… She should have been able to find SOMETHING…

She gave Casey a small smile, they didn't know the real reason she was 'under the weather'. That was a secret, along with her identity as a Stormer, these boys would never know. Not if she had anything to say about it. "Better… Nowhere near a hundred percent…" She gave a wry grin over to Lucas and Michael. "So, how peeved was Professor 'Snape' that his star student was going to be out for the week?" She'd heard the boys' nickname for the mathematics teacher, who they swore was a personification of the fictional character. She'd never met the man, but their description and imitation of him fit the bill.

Lucas gave a shrug as Oreo jumped into the chair beside him, his head nudging Lucas' hand, demanding to be scratched some more. He obliged, and the cat purred happily. "He didn't seem to be his usual self today. Hardly said a word during class and the guy looked like he hadn't slept all weekend. He didn't even give his weekly pop quiz or give out any demerits today. And dummy over there should have gotten three." He nodded over towards Casey, looking in his direction just in time to duck from a flying apple, which Trinity promptly caught without even looking.

"Don't throw things in my house, Casey… especially food." She set the apple down on top of the table, pulling another cracker from the box. "What'd you do?" She raised a brow, glaring at him, a 'Mother Yuy' glare, which, at times could be more frightening than the soldier's death glare.

"Nothing…" He held up both hands. "I swear!"

Lucas laughed as Oreo jumped off the chair, meandering through the chair and table legs over to a spot in front of the sliding glass door, which Trinity leaned over and opened, and walked out into the back yard. "Nothing is right. He was five minutes late, didn't do his homework, AND slept through the lecture. And Professor Langley didn't even notice. I don't even think he noticed Michael wasn't there." He leaned forward as Trinity slid the door close. "Oh, and guess who else wasn't there today… again…"

Michael raised a brow as he stopped typing a moment, looking at him. "Kiera?" He gave his mother a brief glance and she immediately read the worry in his eyes. She knew the girl they were talking about, well, knew about her. She was neck and neck with Michael as far as grade point average, and the two were… good friends; Michael had always insisted that's ALL they were. For her to miss one day of school was odd enough, but so many? Michael waited for a sign in his mother's glance before turning back to his laptop, closing down the processer he typed his notes in. After several moments working at the keyboard he leaned back, staring at the screen for another long moment before passing the laptop over to Trinity.

"A missing persons report?" She looked it over for a moment. "Kiera Jameson… missing since Wednesday …" She stopped, giving another glance to Michael. "The Preventers are involved?" She studied the profile photo several long moments before sitting back. She knew this girl… there was something familiar… She continued to stare at the photo, eyes narrowing, searching her memory.

"Did he just hack into police station computers?" Lucas glanced over to Casey, who simply shrugged. "And should we be worried that Momma Trin let him?"

Michael gave them both a "shush" as he recognized the focus in his mother's eyes as she studied the screen, and a knot formed in his stomach. _Please, let me be wrong…_, he found himself thinking, praying. Casey and Lucas shot questioning glances to each other and to Michael, which he ignored. His eyes never left Trinity as her hands fisted on the table top, lightly shaking. "Mom?" He laid a hand on top of one fist as he closed the laptop lid with the other, forcing her gaze to break from it. When her eyes darted to meet his, he no longer saw his mother in them, but the soldier. _Damn it… Kiera…_

_Trinity, are you certain?_

She was vaguely aware of Izreina's presence, her voice seemed distant. Trinity forced her thoughts to concentrate on her, still finding difficulty to respond mentally. But she nodded, both to her counterpart and to Michael. Her concentration was broken by a chime coming from Casey's cell phone.

Casey stepped away from the table as the soldier now regarded him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and forced his eyes away from hers as he flipped it open, reading the text message. "It's my dad… he's outside…" He didn't hesitate as he backed out of the kitchen.

Lucas thought a moment about following, but he was now extremely concerned for Trinity. Her shaking hadn't stopped and she hadn't said a word. But the focus in her eyes was downright scary. He glanced to Michael, who looked almost ill, himself, as his hand left the computer to rest on his mother's.

"Mom?" Michael asked again, pausing only for a moment, hearing his father's voice in the hall, speaking presumably to Casey's dad, as he heard another man's voice. And he heard Casey telling him what was happening in the kitchen. He heard his father's heavy footfall quickly approaching. "Mom, Dad's home…" He thought his next words, hoping Trinity was capable of reading them as her eyes met his again. _You can't allow this to happen right now. Casey and Lucas are worried enough._

Her gaze moved to the doorway as Zechs walked in, another man behind him, one she recognized from a long time ago, one that caused her and her 'sisters' a lot of pain. Her eyes flashed in anger, and suddenly she was on her feet, tearing her hands out of Michael's, quickly withdrawing the gun she always carried and leveling it at him as Casey stopped dead in his tracks next to his father.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you," her soldier's voice said to the man, completely ignoring everything else in the room.

Lange calmly placed a hand on his son's chest, pushing him away to join Michael and Lucas on the other side of the room, meeting her gaze. _She has every right to kill me,_ he thought, his eyes relaying the message just as clearly.

Zechs stopped beside her, gently laying his hand on her arm, trying to force her to lower the weapon. "Trinity," he said calmly, his other hand resting on her back, attempting to calm her. "Trin, this is Caleb Lange… He's Casey's father…"

She refused Zechs' attempt, completely ignoring his presence; her eyes never tore away from Lange's. "He's also one of the bastards responsible for giving us those damned implants!"


	4. Chapter 3

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Three

"He's also one of the bastards responsible for giving us those damned implants!"

Zechs' eyes narrowed as he gave a brief glance to Lange, who gave a single nod of his head, confirming her accusation. His gaze settled back on Trinity as he took a step away from her. "Tempest, stand down," he said, the general addressing the soldier in front of him. He looked over to his son and his friends, ignoring the glare she gave him as she reluctantly complied. "Upstairs… all of you."

Michael nodded, silently ushering his friends out of the kitchen, shooting them both a quick 'I'll tell you in a minute' glare before he turned his eyes back to his parents as he followed. He gave them a copy of his mother's glare, silencing them from any questions until they were in his room. He held a hand up as he shut the door. "You guys have heard of the Preventer Storm… You just met Tempest…"

Casey just stared at him as Lucas slid quietly into Michael's desk chair. Casey folded his arms. Never mind that his best friend had kept the fact secret that his mother was a damned Stormer and gundam pilot. Of course, that sort of explained why she allowed Michael to hack into the police station computers. But still… what the hell just happened? "Why the hell did she want to kill my dad?"

"She said he was responsible for some implants…" Lucas leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "The Stormers are rumored to be telepathic and have a… an unusual connection to their gundams…" Lucas couldn't say he was really surprised at the news. He had known something was… a little off about 'Momma Trin'. He'd see her space out for several moments, a faraway look in her eyes, and then suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. Other times, he'd see the soldier in her eyes, just like the one downstairs. Yeah, he was a little miffed that his best friend kept such a large secret, but he understood why. "Does this mean that your aunts Kalli and Izreina…?"

Michael nodded. "…are Lightning and Thunder… Years ago the three of them were subject to an experimental project to turn them into ultimate weapons… A computer device, about the size of the button on your shirt, was surgically implanted into the base of their brains allowing them to connect to the minds of others and to certain computer systems." His eyes met the glare of Casey's. "Do you know what kind of work your dad did during the war?"

Casey shook his head as he sat down on the side of Michael's neatly made bed. "No… but sometimes I overhear him talking to Mom, something about someone named 'Lowe'… and his distaste about what the guy has done… It's never anything specific."

"Odin Lowe was the creator of the project. The guy was concerned about only one thing… how much people were willing to pay for the next, greatest weapon. Machines can only do so much, but the destruction that those devices can cause is next to unfathomable." Michael leaned against the door, his arms folded. "The Preventers have a list of scientists and doctors that worked on the project, but they've had no luck in finding any of them. Six years, they've been looking…"

Casey's eyes closed a moment as he took in a deep breath. He let it out in a long sigh as his eyes opened, staring down at the carpet. His dad had been gone for a majority of his life; his mother hadn't even known where he was. And that look that he gave Casey… he was sure he read it accurately… _She has every right to shoot me..._

"Does the project… have anything to do with Kiera's disappearance?" Lucas asked tentatively, looking back to Michael. The soldier's glare as she looked at the missing persons report, he'd noticed. He had also noticed the silent exchange she and Michael had had at the table.

Michael took a hesitant breath, closing his eyes, the knot in his stomach returning. "For the past four nights, Mom's been experiencing… a recurring dream… She's certain it's a mental call for help. The only way that could happen is if the sender has the device implanted… There haven't been too many details, Mom's been taking an experimental drug that nullifies the device's effect… but this call has been pushing through the drug, so it's incredibly strong… She made the decision last night to discontinue the drug so that she could intercept the vision without… complication… I really don't think she's entirely sure… but she thinks Kiera's the sender…" He hadn't wanted to believe that, hadn't wanted to even think it.

"What kind of complication has she been having?" Lucas met Michael's eyes as he opened them.

"Seizures… During the dream, Mom goes into these convulsions… And last night, she was screaming… The Preventer's medical director thinks it's a side effect of the inhibitor drugs fighting against the intrusion…"

"But you don't think so…" His remark wasn't a question.

Michael shook his head. "Mom thinks the sender's experiencing them… Maybe the body resisting the device… She said Aunt Kalli experienced minor seizures when her device was first implanted… Nothing as severe as what's been happening, though…"

"It can't be Kiera, Michael… Why would anyone do that to a kid?"

Michael's gaze intensified as he met with Lucas', the Yuy glare in full effect. "Aunt Kal and Aunt Iz were only sixteen when it was done to them… These kinds of people don't give a shit how old their subjects are, as long as they perform as they are expected to… Aunt Kal and Aunt Iz were almost killed because they were recorded as 'failed subjects'… A program was included in the devices to ensure that the weapon followed the orders of its masters without fail. During a training exercise, that part of their devices was damaged and they were no longer under control…" Michael shook his head, closing his eyes for a long moment, feeling the knot tighten. "Doing this to soldiers is one thing..."

Casey had remained silent during the entire conversation. His hands clenched into fists as they rested on his knees. He wanted to run downstairs to confront his father, beg him to say he had no part in any of this. But he couldn't convince himself that the possibility wasn't there. And if he had been involved in the project, he understood 'Momma Trin's' reaction upon seeing him. "Would your mom really have killed Dad?"

"In all honesty…," Michael paused as he looked over to Casey. "…I'm surprised she even offered him a chance to defend himself…"

* * *

><p>The soldier glared at the man still standing in the doorway as Zechs pried her fingers from around the gun. He took the weapon from her, placing it on the counter several feet away before he guided her into the chair she previously sat in. "What the hell is going on, Trinity?"<p>

She didn't respond to him, her eyes never leaving Lange as his shoulders relaxed. He had offered her no resistance, no defense. He had been perfectly willing to let her kill him. She let her eyes fall away from him as the soldier subsided within her. He had been willing to accept his sentence for the crime committed against her and her counterparts. He knew he had done wrong, and that silent apology was acceptable.

"Miss Yuy…," Lange started, taking a tentative step further into the kitchen. He stopped as her eyes were once again on him, but the soldier was gone. The woman now regarding him was completely different, and she was shaking.

"You had the dream again?" Zechs kneeled in front of her, taking both her hands in his, forcing her eyes to lock with his.

"More like a revelation…," she whispered, not trusting her voice. "I know who it is… I know who's trying to reach me…" She gave a small glance over to Michael's laptop that still sat on the table by her side. Her eyes then lifted back to Lange. "Who else did my father… did Lowe… sell the Psi Project to?" She had to fight to keep her face straight. She hadn't meant to say 'father'. That man had never been a father. And she'll be damned if she let anyone outside of family know, especially those that worked for him. But it slipped, she blamed her current state.

"Odin Lowe was your father?" His eyes widened only briefly before he shut them, bowing his head slightly. "I'm sorry… What he was… what he did… what we did to you…" When he opened his eyes again, she looked away. He knew she was ashamed to have called him father. And he didn't blame her.

Zechs opened the lid to Michael's laptop and pressed the button to pull it out of sleep mode. He tapped the table, impatiently, waiting for the screen to load. His eyes narrowed as the police report filled the screen. "This is… not good…" He looked back up to Trinity as her eyes met his. "You're sure?"

"Why are the Preventers involved in her case? Do they already know something?" She held a breath as she could finally sense his thoughts. And her eyes widened with what they were telling her. Treize Kushrenada… "You can't be fucking serious…" His silence was more than enough of a reply. "Oh damn… this just keeps getting better and better," she commented, dryly. Her eyes shot back to Lange as the soldier returned. "Who else did Lowe sell the project to?"

Lange watched the exchange between the two and couldn't quite hide his curiosity at what they were talking about. He didn't say anything about it though, and glad he didn't as the soldier faced him again. "I don't know. I never dealt with that side of things. And he never spoke of it. I only know who we were dealing with at the time. And that's only because Barton was constantly observing. He was interested in every aspect of the project." He stared at the tiled floor for a long moment. "Whoever else he dealt with; I didn't think they'd ever be able to do much with it. We… lost four… test subjects….," he forced the words, he hadn't wanted to call them that, but that's what they were. "…before the three of you… I didn't want to do that to you, you girls were so young then… Lowe… _insisted_…" He paused again, and she knew exactly what he meant.

"He knew we would survive because we were taught to survive…" She gave Zechs a look full of worry as she glanced at the girl's picture on the screen. "We were soldiers… but she…" She shook her head as she looked back to Lange. "What caused the deaths of the first subjects?" Her face softened as she watched him sag into a chair at the opposite end of the table. She knew the topic pained him, she could sense it now, and it was written all over his face. He really was remorseful about what his part was in the project.

He sighed for a moment. When he walked in the door a few moments ago, his only intention was to meet his son's friend's mother. He knew from the moment their eyes met that the conversation, if she let him live long enough, would turn here. He remembered every part of that nightmare, and watching four men die without a means to prevent it, and knowing he caused it… He looked back up to her. "The first and second… their bodies rejected the device, treated it like the foreign object it was... high temperature, convulsions… the devices were never even activated. It was Lowe's decision to… to kill them… since we couldn't exactly remove the devices and start over… The third… he didn't even survive the surgery." He ran a hand over his face, pausing as he closed his eyes, fighting to keep the memories from replaying. "The last… was almost a success… but…" He inhaled deeply, releasing it in a long sigh. "The sudden intrusion into his mind when the device was activated… it drove him to insanity… Suicide…" He shook his head, forcing the memories back into their dark corner. What the man had done to himself… it hadn't been pretty. Lange buried his head in his hands as he attempted to compose himself.

Trinity suddenly felt a wave a nausea pour over her as she closed her eyes, forcing her mental walls up as she resisted the urge to vomit. Much as he had tried to bury the memories, she caught a glimpse of them. It was no wonder Lange had been ready for her to kill him. She couldn't imagine the guilt that had been buried within him for all these years. "Caleb," she said softly as her eyes opened, meeting his as his hands lowered. "What would have happened to the first two if Lowe hadn't killed them?"

He sighed again as he looked at the tile floor. "Their high temperatures were already causing brain damage… I can only imagine what kind of hallucinations they were experiencing… The convulsions would have gotten more violent… They would have died anyway… just more slowly and more painfully." He leaned back in his chair. "If anything, Lowe did them a favor by ending it quickly…"

She closed her eyes again, tightly. Damn it… _We have to find out where Kiera is… TONIGHT… _She felt the agreement of her counterparts and opened her eyes to meet Zechs' again, and she saw the same fear in his eyes that she had. She sensed that her friend, Izreina, had more that she wanted to tell Trinity, but she didn't. She wanted Izreina to talk to her, but her counterpart closed herself up. _You've got enough to worry about,_ she had said. But Trinity knew, and she muttered another unspoken curse.

* * *

><p>"Open your eyes, Miss Jameson…"<p>

His words were slurred, but clear, and she obeyed the voice. She was certain she had the dream again, she felt it. She could feel her wrists and ankles becoming raw where they struggled against the straps that bound her. Her eyes, panic within them, met his. Or rather, only one of his green eyes, as the other lid remained closed. The entire side of his face seemed to sag, seemed to be paralyzed, clearly visible as only one corner of his lips turned up in a smile. It only made him seem even more frightening.

"There's a good girl…" His words were still slurred, and she was convinced, by the look of him, he had suffered some sort of stroke. He let one hand trace the side of her face, and he gave a hoarse chuckle as she trembled. "There's no reason to be frightened. These are only here for your protection." He tapped his finger on one of the leather straps. "Your seizures have been rather violent lately, don't want you hurting yourself."

_My protection… right…_ Her mouth formed the words, but she felt no vibration in her throat to indicate they'd been voiced. But she was certain her thought reached him, as his creepy half-smile grew into a downright half-grin. Her eyes grew wide. _What have you done…?_

"Curiosity can be a dangerous thing, Miss Jameson… what's the old saying? Curiosity killed the cat?" He chuckled again. "Oh, don't worry. I've no intention on killing you, you've been quite helpful." He gave a nod of his head as she felt someone undoing the straps at her ankles. "And your seizures have subsided, so we feel rather safe taking these off, have those leather burns treated and wrapped."

_What do you want with me?_ She quit trying to voice her words, she knew it was useless. She had no voice anymore, but she utilized her new mental speech rather expertly. She felt relief at having the bonds removed, wanted to jump off that bed and bolt for the door, no matter what he would do to stop her. But any urge was quickly quelled. Her mind wanted to do one thing, but her body wouldn't cooperate.

"You seem to be adapting to your new abilities quite well… You'll soon find out you're capable of much more than mind speech… I'll admit you weren't my intended candidate, but after you were caught snooping, I could hardly pass up the opportunity…" He held up a small clear box, that he apparently carried with him at all times. Inside was a small round object, something mechanical, but she couldn't see it clearly. "This is what's called a psi device… gives you rather extraordinary mental abilities…"

_Intended…?_ _Psi device…? _She gasped as her mind read in his several of the possibilities. Who was this guy? Was he mad? What kind of person would want to hurt people like that? And why the hell would they MAKE people do that?

"I've been watching your classmates rather closely… Several of them have potential… But only a few have my interest… The three of them seem to work rather well together, and I'm anxious to see what they're capable of…" An aide handed him a tablet computer and after a moment, he showed her the student profile. "I've got to tell you, though… it's this boy's mother is who I'm really interested in finding …"

_Michael…!_ She gasped again, her eyes wide as she looked at the image on the screen. Narrowed eyes turned to him as he lowered the tablet. _You won't touch him!_

"Know him, rather well, don't you?" He smiled again. "I wouldn't worry about him. He's in Preventer hands, at the moment… which doesn't surprise me; his mother is rather infamous in their ranks… Besides, you've already made contact with her… The monitors have recorded a second presence during your sleep at times…" He worked at the tablet for a few moments before showing some sort of graph to her that he knew she wouldn't have a damn clue how to read.

_The Preventers… His mother? _She thought for several silent moments. Michael had once told her about his father, who was a well-kept secret. Milliardo Peacecraft, he was second in command in the Preventer ranks. But never, had he mentioned that his mother was one. He had trusted her enough to spill the secret of his father, but then what the hell kind of person was his mother? This guy said she made contact with her, so the presence in her dreams, the only thing that kept her safe… _Miss Yuy?_

The man grinned that damned grin again. "Trinity Yuy is someone very important to me…"

His words seemed to carry a hidden meaning, hinting this man was definitely not someone she wanted to cross. But, she couldn't let him use her to hurt Michael's mother, no matter who he said she was.

"Just… when you go to sleep… when you meet her tonight…" That grin lingered as he leaned back in his chair, his tablet in his lap. "…tell the one called 'Tempest' that Sarris sends his love…" His aide pushed his wheelchair out of the room as another put her to sleep again.


	5. Chapter 4

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Four

"You do know it's kind of hard to work with you doing that…," Noin couldn't help the smile as she felt her new partner's hands knead a kink in her shoulders. The typing at her keyboard stopped as her eyes closed. Her transfer to L1 had been a hard one; she'd left everything behind on Earth, even her daughter. But Alyssa and Nika had adapted so well to being sisters, they were inseparable, and Noin couldn't bring herself to ask her to leave. But Noin couldn't stand living there anymore, not with Zechs. He was still a close friend, someone she could always confide in, but she couldn't continue living with him, working with him. She had to get out of there in order to move on. But she certainly hadn't counted on the quick relationship with her new partner, Nathaniel Brist. Well, not so much of a relationship, more like 'friends with benefits'. He'd known her stance on anything long-lasting from the beginning…

Nathan grinned as he gently brushed her dark hair aside, glad she had allowed it to grow out during the year she had been there. "And…?" He chuckled as his hands resumed their work into her tense neck. "It's quitting time, Lu. There's nothing there that won't be there in the morning." He gently took a handful of her hair, lightly tugging it to pull her head back to look up at him, and he gave her a lopsided grin. "Dinner?"

She laughed as their eyes met. As goofy as that grin was right-side up, it was hilarious looking at it upside-down. But she couldn't resist it. From the day they met, he knew that it made her smile, and he utilized it often, especially when she found her thoughts drifting to the past. He reminded her, sometimes, of Duo. And other times, when he was more serious, he reminded her way too much of Zechs. "What'd you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know…" He gave a mocking shrug of his shoulders as he let his fingers toy with her hair, pretending to think about it for a long moment, before he looked down to her again. "There's that new Italian place on the corner… You can wear that little black number I saw in the back of your closet last week…" His grin turned downright impish as she glared up at him.

"And what, may I ask, are you doing, going through my closet?" She glanced back to her computer screen as a chime announced newly arrived email. She playfully batted his hands away for a moment. "I've been waiting for this… five more minutes…" Her hands went back to work at the keyboard as she raised a brow in his direction. "You didn't answer my question…"

He chuckled, giving another shrug. "I'm nosy… so sue me… It's an unbreakable habit… I've tried…" He glanced down to her, after not receiving the humorous reaction he had hoped, listening to silence as her typing stopped. "What is it?" His smile disappeared as he saw her face fill with shock, then anger.

Noin stared at the screen, eyes wide as the file attached to the email was opened. "Son of a bitch…" It couldn't be… it wasn't possible. But here it was, staring her in the face. How the hell did they miss this?

Nathan kneeled beside her chair, to get a better look at the computer screen. "Sarris Barton… Didn't the Storm take care of him six years ago?" He looked back to her, not receiving a response from her. But he knew what was going through her mind, he knew about her friendship with the Stormers. And he knew about the events that had taken place six years ago. Hell, the entire organization knew. The news of the near-destruction of the Storm was all over headquarters.

"Nathan, we'd better order in tonight…," her voice cracked, slightly. But much as she tried to recover herself, he had noticed it. "We'll be working late…" She briefly looked down to her hands, as if she had to consciously command them to get to work. She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye as he stood; closing her eyes briefly as he gently laid his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze in understanding. Her eyes opened as he walked away and she got back to work, she had to find out where he was at, because she was certain he was responsible for the situation Trinity was in, at the moment. And she was also certain that he was well aware of it, and it was about to get worse.

* * *

><p>She felt panic. It wasn't the same as before. The light was still there, but the only other thing accompanying it was panic. This wasn't the same. It wasn't a dream, because she hadn't gone to sleep. <em>Kiera?<em> Her mental voice inquired. She wasn't sure if it would reach, she hadn't had any luck speaking to her counterparts, but she was sure the presence would feel something.

_Are you Tempest?_ The reply was shaky, frightened, but the question was enough to confirm the Storm's suspicion that the connection only to Trinity was, indeed, intentional. But Trinity was convinced it wasn't by the girl's will. Whoever held the program had targeted her, specifically.

_Yes…_ Trinity hesitated a moment, she wasn't quite sure what was safe to be discussed, so she simply waited to see what would happen next. She could feel her counterparts joining, but she gave them a slight push to remain silent.

_Is Michael safe?_ The voice was panicked, and Trinity felt tightness in her chest at the mention of her son._ And Casey and Lucas? He wants them… He wants to use them…_ Trinity had to quell her own fear. Whoever 'he' was had targeted her son and his friends for the project.

_**They're safe… They have the full protection of the Storm…**_ The collective replied. Trinity continued to attempt to push her counterparts aside, certain that the last thing the frightened girl needed was to feel the full weight of the Storm. But the panic and fear she had sensed seem to disappear, replaced by comfort. The girl felt safe among them, and the ache in Trinity's chest worsened, wishing she could do more.

_Who is he, Kiera? Who's hurt you?_ Again, she wasn't sure if the words would reach her, but she felt the panic in the girl's presence again and she knew she understood.

_I don't know him. I only saw him once, just now._ The voice paused a moment, as if she had to think and Trinity could sense she was trying to relay the image of him in her mind. _He… he just gave me a message for you…_

Trinity took in a gasp with the other Stormers as the image of the man in the wheelchair filled their collective mind as the voice continued. _I…_ The voice hesitated and Trinity felt pain. _I can't… He wants it to hurt you…_ The voice trembled, and Trinity felt herself shaking.

Trinity tried to push her counterparts out of her mind… The seizure that was now coming wasn't Kiera's body reacting to the device; it was because she was consciously fighting the command that had been given to her. Trinity focused her attention a moment, solely on her counterparts. _Kalli, Izreina, this is going to be bad… Do what you can to shield yourselves and Jacob…_ She felt the panic as she forced the collective to break. _Kiera, you can't fight the order… It will kill you… Tell me…_

_I can't… I…I won't… let him hurt you… Michael… would never forgive me…_ Trinity could sense tears in the girl's mental voice, the pain she couldn't begin to describe and she prayed for the girl to have relief.

_And he would never forgive me for letting you die for me…_ Her voice was forceful, much more so than she had intended, but she was determined to make her point. _Neither would your father… Give me the message, Kiera… I know pain, I know death, and I fear neither… Don't let me be the cause of your pain, Kiera…_

There was a long, hesitant pause, and Trinity urged her with a light, but forceful mental nudge to just say the damned words. The words she knew that would bring her death, extreme pain at the very least. Kiera's words came in a soft, painful whimper as Trinity nudged her again. _Sarris… _The voice choked and Trinity braced herself as Kiera tried again. _Sarris sends his love…_

Trinity's eyes shot wide open, the pain behind them almost blinding her. She could barely make out Zechs standing over her, his eyes regarding her with fear. Her mouth parted, but her scream was silent. Regulating her breathing wasn't an option, the pain was overwhelming, and her mind was numb to everything except the pain. She was vaguely aware of Zechs' attempt to restrain her as her body writhed and contorted. She heard Sally's voice conversing with Lange's, but couldn't hear the words. Moments later, everything was silent, still, then black.

* * *

><p><em>Do what you can to shield yourselves and Jacob…<em>

Izreina locked eyes with Kalli's, her panic reflected as the invisible door to Trinity's mind slammed shut, locking them out. She looked up to Quatre, taking his hand, quickly and holding it tightly. "This is going to be bad… very, very bad… No matter what happens, do NOT let our concentration break, for Jacob's sake…" She gave his hand a squeeze, emphasized on the word 'NOT', as her eyes closed, feeling his other brush her cheek. Her eyes opened after he leaned down and lightly kissed her cheek.

"Izreina…," he started, before she shook her head. She didn't want him to say anything. There wasn't time. He let go of her so that she could pull Jacob up into her lap. He took a couple of steps away, allowing his sister room to stand near her.

"Listen to me, sweetie…," Izreina said, pushing Jacob's thin hair back, her eyes softly reassuring him. "Aunt Triny's in trouble right now, but I don't want you to think about her right now… Or you're going to get hurt… Right now I want you to imagine a great big brick wall all around you, protecting you… to block out everything else. And no matter what you hear or see, do not let anything, nothing at all, get through that wall. Nothing. Do you understand me?"

The boy nodded as he clutched her robe, tightly. "Will Aunt Triny be okay?" Jacob received only a nod from his mother, accompanied by a very sad smile, and he didn't quite know how to read it as he just buried his face into her chest as her arms wrapped around him, closing his eyes tightly to visualize the wall. He trusted his mother, that there was a reason she wanted him to think about a wall. So he made the biggest and strongest wall in his head that he could.

"There's a good boy… That's a good job." She closed her eyes, following his imagination until his wall shut her out. "Good job… Now Aunt Kalli and I are going add on to your wall, okay?" She paused as Jacob started trembling as the pain started. "Push against the wall, baby… Don't let it break through…" Her voice quivered as she tried to encourage him, to reassure him. She felt him tense in her lap, his eyes shut as tight as he possibly could shut them.

Kalli's eyes remained opened, focused on Jacob. She flinched slightly as she felt the wave of pain, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides as she worked her mental magic to protect Jacob. The signal was stronger than she had anticipated, and the pain coursing through her was almost unbearable. The attack was full of anger, hatred. That bastard hadn't meant to just kill Trinity, he wanted her to suffer. And when she suffered, they all suffered. Her hands trembled as they unclenched, settling on Izreina's shoulders, but her eyes never left Jacob, sobbing in his mother's arms.

And then, it was all over. Izreina gasped as her eyes opened and ran her hand through her son's hair. "Good job, baby," she whispered in between gasped breaths. "It's over." She kissed his head and rocked him back and forth, holding him close. "It's over."

Kalli blinked several times before nausea settled in her stomach, and she suddenly felt weak. But she allowed the soldier's instincts to take over, forcing herself not to give in to the weakness. She gave Izreina's shoulders a gentle squeeze as she felt their 'sister's' absence, again, and her eyes met her husband's, a sudden flash within them.

Trowa recognized the glare in Kalli's gaze, the soldier that he had met years ago; the soldier who was so angry with the universe that she accidently shot her brother resulting in a total emotional breakdown and a heart attack. His eyes softened in worry, attempting to get her to push the soldier aside and return his wife. After a moment, he walked up to her, grabbed both of her hands, pulling them off Izreina's shoulders, and held them rather tightly as the glare in his eyes changed as he looked down upon her, squaring his shoulders.

"Lightning, stand aside." His voice remained low, demanding, as he stood toe to toe with her. He had learned, over the years that the only way of getting through to this part of her, was soldier to soldier. He just hoped she could recover herself before she resorted to violence to let loose the aggression.

"Our orders don't come from you…, _Major_ Barton…," the soldier replied, a slight smirk came to her lips as her hardened gaze regarded him. "Did you forget that we outrank you?" She pulled her hands out of his grip and folded her arms; her intense focus seemed to rip right through him. He should by know that he can't stare down a Stormer. "Or has six years of a semi-domestic life made your inferiority as a soldier so vivid that you can't stand being a subordinate?"

Trowa's eyes widened and he took a step away from her. He felt as if she had just punched him in the gut. This wasn't his Kalli. This wasn't even the soldier that he knew, and he thought he had seen that soldier at its worst. He had no idea who this was standing in front of him, but it was most certainly not his wife, and he looked to Izreina for help.

_Kalli, stop…_ Izreina stood, her son in her arms as he continued to cry on her shoulder, his arms clinging tightly around her neck. She turned to face her counterpart, a stern expression on her face. She tried to send Kalli calming vibes, despite her own feeling of sickness, but she couldn't get through. Kalli's mind was shielded. Izreina gave Quatre a desperate glance, as his hand rested on his shoulder, the wound Kalli had given him six years ago.

He gave her a nod towards the door, indicating that she should get Jacob out of the room. He stepped around his wife and son, nudging Trowa out of the way as his eyes met his sister's for a long moment before he closed his eyes, tightly, silently offering an apology. His eyes reopened to make sure his son was nowhere in sight. He was about to do something extremely out of character for him, but damn it, he was mad. And as his eyes met back with Kalli's, he promptly slapped her across the face.

This was apparently enough to bring her out of it, as her eyes shot wide open, the soldier gone, stunned in silence for a moment as her jaw dropped. She raised a hand to her cheek where the welts left by his fingers were already beginning to show. "Quatre…," she whispered as she felt Trowa's arms around her. Her vision blurred with tears as she continued to stare at him.

The hand he had slapped her with clenched into a tight fist, stinging more with disdain than pain. He struggled to control himself as he regarded her with a very stern face, taking in a few deep breaths before speaking. "That's one for one…," he said, more coolly and calmly than she had ever heard from him, as his other hand pointed to his shoulder. "Kalli Nichole Winner-Barton, I know you're in a difficult position, right now, but damn it, I know you've got better control than this…" He held a hand up as she tried to speak, stuttering over her words, and he shook his head.

"I know you still have difficulty with your anger, and you have every right to be angry right now. But if you need to take out that aggression, do it elsewhere, because I'll be damned if I let Jacob be witness to that!" The final word was hissed through clenched teeth as he fought to keep his own eyes from tearing. "God KNOWS he has enough on his little mind, right now…" He didn't wait for another word before turning, and exited, following to catch up with his wife and son.

Kalli's eyes followed her brother for a long moment, even after he disappeared out the door, before turning to Trowa. Her voice still frozen in shock, she just looked at him, her hand resting on her cheek, as if it would ease the stinging. She began to tremble and Trowa's arms tightened around her. She felt ill again and her knees started to buckle. She leaned against him for support.

"Let's get you to bed," he said, his soft tone had a slight waver to it. He repositioned his arms around her so that he could guide her out the door. She didn't move for another long moment, and he couldn't tell if she was capable of commanding her legs to cooperate. He allowed one hand to release her and he pulled her hand away from her face, revealing the reddened welted imprint of Quatre's hand. His fingers traced along the lines. "Kalli… let's get some rest tonight… and tomorrow we'll head to HQ so we can work on this." He didn't dare meet her eyes; he didn't know what he would find. But he loved her too much to let her know what she had just done had hurt him, terribly. He didn't even know if she was aware of what she had said. All he knew was that the soldier he saw a few moments ago was NOT the soldier he knew, not the Lightning he fell in love with. And he wondered where that soldier came from.

"He hit me…," she finally managed a small voice as she attempted to command her legs to work, grasping one of his hands tightly. She took a few moments to steady herself before allowing him to guide her upstairs. "Quatre hit me…" She watched Trowa as she walked beside him, occasionally losing her balance, but an arm tightening around her waist was the only indication he gave that he was even paying attention to her. "Why did Quatre hit me?"

He just nodded, remaining silent. He didn't know what to say. He looked over to her, finally allowing their eyes to meet, thankfully, the soldier was nowhere in sight. But the pain he read in her eyes was nearly overwhelming. He was glad Quatre for did it; had he had a little more courage, he would have done it himself. That made his next thought even more uncomfortable than it already was... Maybe the soldier in him HAD become inferior.


	6. Chapter 5

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Five

"She's WHAT?" Noin stared at the image of her ex-husband on the screen in front of her, he looked absolutely terrible, confirming Izreina's previous comments that he looked as if he hadn't slept since everything with Trinity started. She had originally contacted him to relay the information she and her partner had uncovered the night before, but his first words, after his monosyllabic greeting, simply stating her name, were not what she had expected to hear. Shock prevented any further conversation, so all she could do was ask him to repeat it.

"_She's in a medication-induced coma."_ That was all he said for a long moment as he sat back in his chair. _"Without it… she's in so much pain, she's… she's…"_ He shook his head, uncertain of how to describe what he had witnessed. _"The message last night came with an attack, and it was meant to make her suffer. Iz hasn't been much help, she's too shaken. And it's understandable since Jacob sensed it all, too. Kal, though… something's wrong with her. She and Trowa came to the office this morning and he sat her down in training simulations with Heavyarms. Not Illumination, Heavyarms."_

"I know she still has problems with aggression, so it would only be natural for her to want to take her frustration out that way… But…Heavyarms has a hell of a lot more firepower than Illumination…" She paused a moment, staring at another open window on her computer containing the information she had meant to send Zechs. She quickly proceeded to send the file as her gaze shifted back to him. "If her hostility is so intense she needs the extra outlet… this is probably why…"

Zechs waited until he received the file before responding, though his raised brow indicated his interest in her response. The brow fell and his eyes flashed, a frown tugging at his lips as he scanned the text. _"…I don't think simple training simulations are going to satisfy her aggression… She's going to want blood…"_ His eyes returned to hers. _"This adds another kink to things… Trinity was able to identify the person contacting her…"_ He sent a file to her in return, the report that Saunders had given him and Une. _"Kiera Jameson, she's a classmate of Michael's that's been missing since Wednesday, the day before all this started… But take a look at her father, Mister Jameson…"_

She waited the few moments for the report to reach her, her impatience quite visible as she tapped the eraser end of a pencil on the desktop. She opened it up as soon as it popped up and just briefly scanned the text until she got to the photos attached. Her jaw dropped as her eyes shot back to Zechs, who gave a single shake of his head, indicating she shouldn't shout her initial thought too loudly. "You're kidding me… He's alive? Does Une know?"

"_She's been… disturbed, to say the least… But she's done well in burying her emotions to get business done… With the Storm again out of commission, we've got to step up and stop this before anyone else gets used by Barton… or hurt by him…"_ He held in a deep breath for a long moment before releasing it in a long heavy sigh. _"Noin… We've found one of the doctors responsible for the original project… He's Casey's dad…"_

"Why is it that our problems are never simple…?" She sighed, a thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of her nose. "How did Trin take that?"

"_She put a gun in his face and threatened to kill him… in front of Michael, Casey, and Lucas…"_ He nodded, accurately reading the expression in her face. _"Michael explained everything to them. He's… not happy about the situation, but it's not just because of Trinity… Kiera is apparently someone important to him."_ He sighed again as he leaned forward. _"Noin… I want to send the girls to you for a few days… Michael… The conversation I had with Izreina earlier, she said that Kiera told them that he and the boys were Barton's… 'intended candidates' were the words she used… She said he's been watching the school. And Tr-… I mean, Will Jameson suspects the school is involved."_

Noin remained silent for a long moment. "My place isn't exactly ideal for two pre-teens, but I'll do what I can. They'll be safe here …" she paused, hesitating for a long moment. "I've… been thinking about asking Nathan to move in…"

His brow rose as he silently regarded his ex-wife for a moment. _"I didn't realize the two of you were that serious…"_

"Well… I don't know that we are, but, the added protection couldn't hurt, and… well…" She couldn't quite put the words together as he offered her a small, tired smile.

"_Does he make you happy, Noin?"_ He waited as she returned his smile with a silent nod. _"Then why hesitate? Brist is a good man... and you deserve the best. I couldn't offer you that, I couldn't continue to lie to you as much as I had lied to myself during that time we were married."_He frowned as he watched her. _"You don't need my approval, Noin, if that's what you're asking. You're a grown woman with a strong mind. As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you. And I would feel absolutely okay having him there to help you with the girls. Nika is very much her mother's daughter, though."_ His smile returned. _"So is Alyssa, for that matter…"_

"Then it looks like we've got our work cut out for us…" Her smile didn't remain on her face for long. "So what's going to be going on there?"

"_Doctor Lange had been explaining everything he knows about the project to Sally and they're collaborating right now on the best way to help Trinity and the girls. Casey, Lucas, and their families are under Preventer protection. Translation, they're all staying here at the house where Heero and I can personally watch over them. Relena's already left for the conference on L3 and she took Aaron with her. Wufei is accompanying her, taking care of her security."_

"You're not staying with Trinity?"

He hesitated for a long moment, holding in another breath before releasing it to speak. _"Heero, Michael, and I discussed it in great detail… Trin would rather we commit our time to keeping the boys from harm and finding Kiera and the person responsible, now that we know who we're looking for… She's not in any further danger while she's in the coma… Sally and Lange are watching her closely; we'd only be in the way…"_

He paused, and Noin could see his hurt. She knew where he would rather be. And she certainly knew what that household is going to be like as long as she wasn't there to keep the peace. Zechs and Heero still managed to get in the occasional...'spat', but Trinity had been the only one to keep them in line. Michael could be a good mediator… but keeping his father and his uncle from seriously injuring one another… he was wise enough to stay out of those brawls. Not that he wasn't capable a fighter, he WAS a Stormer's son, but sometimes it was best to just let them fight it out. Maybe with extra houseguests, they might curb their tempers. She hoped so, at least.

"Other than keeping the girls out of trouble, what else can I do?"

"_Now you know that's a job in itself, Noin. Nika has quickly been showing a skill with computers that make us look like amateurs at that age. I've a sneaking suspicion she'll be taking her mother's place as the Preventers' resident hacker someday… soon, if Michael doesn't claim that spot, first..."_

"You're starting to sound like a proud papa," she said with a small chuckle.

"_You remember the system crash at headquarters eight years ago?"_

She nodded, a brow raised, and a small smile graced her lips, remembering the consequences of said crash. "Une nearly lost her job over it. She was lucky all she got was a cut in pay until all the damages and repairs were paid for… If I remember correctly, it completely fried every computer on the network, including the gundams… Howard was furious…"

Zechs gave a wry smile that could easily have been interpreted as a 'proud papa' grin. _"That was Michael…Trin had been trying since she came on to convince Une that the system needed stronger protection…"_

"So she let Michael have a go…? He would have been…" She paused a moment to do the math. "Seven? She let a seven-year-old hack into Preventer computers?" Noin had to fight to stop herself from laughing out loud, wondering if Une ever knew. She was certain the entire command staff would have known if that were the case. She just shook her head, "These kids are going to be the death of us, Zechs…" She paused, realizing what she had just said. The frown returned to her face. "Oh, Zechs…"

"_Its fine, Noin… It's a possibility we're all well-prepared for…"_

His response was quick and the tone was well-rehearsed, as if he was aware of the possibility, but not at all willing to accept it. She understood him far too well to believe the words, herself. "Take care of yourself, Zechs. You and Heero have never exactly seen eye-to-eye, especially where it concerned your sisters. Do I need to have Michael give me constant updates? Because the first sign of trouble…"

Zechs smiled at her. _"I know, I know, you'll be on the first shuttle back to Earth… We'll behave ourselves… There are more important things to worry about…"_

He paused a moment, lifting a hand to touch the screen and Noin felt, for a moment, the true weight everything was placing on him. He wanted comfort, and she wished she could offer more than words as she touched the screen, as if their fingers would honestly meet over the distance. "She's a Stormer, Zechs, and she's a Yuy. If she can survive the detonation of her gundam, and everything else she's been put through as a soldier, she can survive this…" She offered him a comforting smile as he nodded, more to assure himself than a response to her. She leaned back in her office chair as the screen went blank, ending the transmission, muttering softly under her breath. "I still love you, Zechs. I hope you know that…" She ran a hand through her oily hair, making a face as she realized she'd been working all night and desperately needed to go home, shower, and make her apartment at least semi-presentable (and secure) for her and Trinity's daughters. She would wait to talk to Nathan until later.

* * *

><p>Une leaned back in her office chair, rubbing her tired eyes. This entire ordeal had been completely emotionally draining on her. She, rather unladylike, snorted a chuckle. Emotionally draining… That was an immense understatement.<p>

Trinity was down in the Med Center, comatose, under the watchful eye of Sally, who Une trusted unconditionally, and Caleb Lange, who Une only heard of, didn't know, and therefore didn't trust. But Zechs had given her his word that he would accept full responsibility for the man if something went wrong. That didn't mean that Zechs trusted him either, even though he was the father of Michael's good friend, but it meant that Zechs was willing to give the man the benefit of a doubt on Trinity's behalf. She couldn't say she was completely in agreement, but she did agree that Lange was the only one who knew for certain what the girls… women, she had to keep reminding herself… were going through. As he was a key person in the Storm's making…

She knew of Trinity, Izreina, and Kalli long before the Storm was established. She vaguely remembered when Romefeller's leaders sent them to OZ's Lake Victoria Base for training. Treize had hated the shells of human beings that they had been made into. She hadn't understood, then. The three soldiers were superior, especially considering their age. Neither threat of pain nor death had deterred them from carrying out the orders they were given, and they became superior pilots as well. They were ideal… perfect… But Zechs and Noin had seen something else in them, as did Treize. And Treize gave Zechs leave to do what he wished with them, as long as he didn't endanger himself. Treize had always given Zechs the freedom to do what he wished, especially when it came to the gundams during the war. Treize understood the heart of a soldier, the soul. And soldiers like the three that Romefeller had sent them were not true soldiers… Une hadn't understood, but she wouldn't have dared to say so. Only meeting them again, many years ago, when they came to the Preventers as Tempest, Lightning, and Thunder, did she understand his meaning. And they became allies, friends, family…

Sarris Barton… She cringed at the name… He had survived his mental attack from the Storm six years ago… That surprised her, as much as it had everyone else. The Storm was deadly when fully engaged; there was no escape unless they wished it. Considering what he had done to them, to Trinity, physically and emotionally, Une couldn't imagine them wishing for his survival. And now history was repeating itself yet again, him using the project that created the Storm's telepathy. But, so far, it had only been for revenge, to make the Storm suffer. Whether or not he had any plans beyond that, was unknown. He had chosen a subject who had an emotional attachment to the family, in a roundabout way, knowing the best way to get to them… And that pissed her off, didn't just make her mad… pissed… her… off…

She let out a long sigh, rubbing her eyes again. She needed sleep, but damn it if her mind wouldn't let her cooperate, it was reeling. The largest blow of all to her emotions… The father of the subject Barton had used in his revenge… Treize was back in her life… And even though part of her wanted to curse him, hate him for fourteen years of absence, nearly a decade and a half of mourning over a loss she never got over… The other part of her, the one that always catered to his wishes, the part that loved him… That part always won over.

Now, how the hell was she supposed to tell Marimeia about it? The girl Une had taken in after her grandfather used her as he had always used people, she was Treize's daughter. Sally had confirmed the biological evidence, herself. Une had made it a personal mission to care for His Excellency's daughter, adopting her, to teach her who her father truly was, not what Dekim Barton had programmed into her. The young woman was now a Preventer-In-Training, and Une had vowed not to encourage any special treatment, and to keep work related issues and home related issues separate. This case was confidential on every level, save for those already involved. But she fought with herself, one side trying to convince her that Marimeia was not authorized for this knowledge, the other trying to convince her that the girl had a right to know her father was alive, to meet him in person, to see for herself what a wonderful man he was. Did Treize even know about her?

Things are never simple for their little… correction… large family. And Une certainly knew she wasn't the one feeling the full weight of everything. That right belonged to Zechs, God help him… He was completely in shambles when he brought over the information that Noin had given him. Under ordinary circumstances Une would have placed the general on a personal leave of absence; he sure as hell needed it. But these weren't ordinary circumstances, and whether or not he was on a leave, he was still involved.

She was pulled out of her thoughts at a knock on her office door. A brow rose as she stood, glancing at her reflection in the full length mirror on one wall, tugging on the tails of her uniform jacket to straighten it. Who the hell, other than her, that is, would be at the office at this late hour? She cleared her throat, burying her emotions to the farthest place in her mind. "Come…"

The emotions didn't remain buried for long as the door opened. She leaned against her desk in an attempt to compose herself as Treize entered. She'd given him quarters on the command floor of headquarters, so that he'd be nearby in case anything turned up, also for his protection should he be discovered. She also couldn't ignore the little part of her that just WANTED him nearby.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," he said, standing in the doorway. "I had wanted to make sure you were alright, all things considered." He held in a sigh, looking at her. On the surface, she looked 'alright', but he knew his lady better than anyone. He knew what was running through her mind, as far as he was concerned, anyway. "I stopped by your own quarters, but you weren't in. And this lovely young lady," he stepped aside, revealing he hadn't come up alone, "was kind enough to show me the way to your office."

Marimeia walked in, dressed for bed, but clearly hadn't intended on sleeping. She closed the office door, leaning against it, her hands tucked into the pockets of her pajama bottoms. She looked at her adoptive mother, brows knit with worry. "I was worried, too… You have hardly said a word to me the past two days, and you didn't even call to tell me you were going to be late tonight." She gave a slight glance to the man standing between the two of them, a small smile playing on her lips. "I know the reason, now… other than Trinity, that is…" The smile disappeared almost as quickly. Marimeia knew the toll everything with the Stormer was taking on their family. She was as much worried about it as everyone.

Well… that was one battle Une's emotions wouldn't have to continue fighting. Treize had made the decision for her. And the small smile he gave to Marimeia in return proved that he had known the conflict it would cause in Une. Une gave them both a warm smile, though she couldn't even try to hide the fatigue. "Things are… difficult… Our little family has certainly been through the wringer this week… And I'm sure it'll get worse long before it gets better… But we'll manage…"

Marimeia stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. "We always do… as dysfunctional as we are… We always manage…"


	7. Chapter 6

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Six

"You people were being pretty ambitious with this project…" Sally Po-Chang spoke more to herself than her new… partner, for lack of a better term. She dropped the clipboard she had been reading from onto her desk, rubbing her eyes. She glanced over her shoulder after tossing her braid over it. She was sure he heard the remark, though; he turned away from the computer he had been working on to look through the window into Trinity's room beside them. She immediately regretted the harsh tone she had apparently put into it. She forced her voice to remain a bit calmer. "Doctor Lange?"

He seemed to wave off the inquiry as he turned back to the computer. "You remember the war, Doctor Po. I'm sure you remember the lengths people went through to for protection for their families…" He didn't elaborate on it, leaving it at that, he didn't have to. "You said her device was damaged during a self-detonation six years ago," it wasn't really meant as a change of subject, but Sally was grateful to accept it as such. "Any damage would have caused it to reset, going back to its original programming, which is why the command program wouldn't be able to reconnect to it. We… sort of designed it that way so whoever was running the show couldn't terminate the devices with a command if something went wrong… 01, 02, and 03 were just designations given by the command program to the devices in her and her counterparts…" He finally allowed a glance in her direction. "I assume the other girls are…"

He didn't say any further, but she knew his inquiry. "Preventers Lightning and Thunder are nearby." She had to be careful how she referred to the others. She wasn't sure if Lange knew who they were or not, after all, it seemed he was more than surprised to find out that Tempest was the mother of his son's best friend. "But the attack didn't affect them as greatly. It was singling Tempest out. Is there another way of connecting to a specific device?"

He nodded. "If Barton has the original serial numbers for each device, which I've no doubt he does. He confiscated any and all documentation we had on it. He was targeting her, specifically. He could do the same to Lightning and Thunder, if he wants to. And, as you've seen, even the inhibitors can't stop him... Why was she on them, anyway? That combination of drugs causes heavy emotional distress. That's what caused 03 the initial meltdown that damaged her and 02's devices."

Sally raised a questioning brow. "Emotional meltdown? Both Lowe's reports and the ones Tempest stole from Barton six years ago showed it was a training accident…"

Caleb leaned back in his chair, heaving a very heavy sigh. "We… made a lot of mistakes with the project… When we noticed 03 showing some of the same symptoms of fighting the device that two of the failures had… the only way we could think to save her, was to try to limit the connection she had to the device. She had a meltdown during the training exercise while connected to 02 and the computer they were working with at the time. The computer was fried and they were left in bad shape. We wrote it off as a training accident so Barton and Lowe wouldn't know we were involved… If your two Preventers hadn't shown when they did, they would have been executed just like the others… I'm… surprised they survived anyway."

"They were trained to survive…" Sally muttered, but it wasn't lost on Caleb.

"So I gathered… Lowe seemed proud of them, especially 01. He once called her his greatest creation…" He shook his head. "Barton was particularly fond of her as well… He said the other two were expendable, but we had to take care of 01…" His next thought was silent, but Sally was pretty sure she could read it in his face. _That's because he was fucking her…_

She said nothing for a minute. She ran a hand over her head, pulling her thoughts together. "Back to the devices… You said each device had its own serial number. There's nothing listed in the reports that we have. Would it be printed on the device itself? And, if so, would it be visible on an x-ray?"

"You DO know how small those damned things are, right?" He ignored the glare she shot his way and just nodded. "Yes, they should be on the device… if you can get a picture enlarged enough and clear enough to read them…" He leaned forward in his chair, briefly glancing at Trinity in the other room, seeming in thought for a moment. "…and… the radiation might just be enough to reset her device again… It'll break whatever connection he has on her at the moment, not to say he won't re-establish it, but it'll give her some relief for a little while…"

"How long that 'little while' would depend on how fast he catches on to the fact that the connection's been broken… right?" A brow rose as she watched him, nodding along.

"Long enough for us to reprogram her device's serial number… that is IF you've got the original program that Lowe designed… He wouldn't have given that to Barton…"

"I'll have to get Une's permission… to carry it out and to give you access to that information…" She glanced through the window with a small smile. It was the first flicker of hope they'd had in days. "Though with the life of one of her best agents on the line, I've no doubt she'll give it." She reached for the receiver on the intercom.

"I have one more question, real quick…," he started while looking back to Trinity and Sally paused with her hand on the receiver. "During the last evaluation I made on 01, before everything went to hell and back with their escape…" He looked back to her. "She was pregnant… The child survived?"

Sally's hand left the receiver and she leaned back in his chair, her eyes narrowing only briefly. "Yes… She did…" She heard another's voice in her mind, which hardly startled her these days, as the Stormer's relied so heavily on their mental ability. _Barton is Nika's father…?_ She flinched a little, but he seemed to pay no mind, lost in his own thoughts. _A little softer, Iz, please? The headache's bad enough…_, she thought towards her as she received an apologetic nudge in return.

* * *

><p>Kalli slammed a fist against the arm of the cockpit seat as yet another session was completed, her eyes hardening their gaze on her husband's. "Another flawless score… Why is this necessary?"<p>

The low, cool tone of her voice was every indication that the simulations Trowa had programmed were doing nothing to ease the aggression continuing to build within her. He said nothing for a moment, attempting to avoid the gaze of the new soldier that had returned to Kalli's eyes. "Until the Lady and general authorize the reinstatement of the Storm, you are a civilian, not my superior. The gundam pilots have authority over the situation." He forced his emotions in check as he finally lifted his eyes to hers. This was the hardest thing he believed he'd ever had to do.

"How dare you speak to me that way?" Her eyes narrowed on him. She was NOT about to be treated like a subordinate by this sorry excuse for a soldier! Her mind reached out to seize his, emphasizing her superiority. "Do you honestly believe that you have ANY authority over ME? Active or not the Storm ALWAYS has authority…" As she mentally forced him to take a few steps back, she stood.

"Kalli…," he whispered, pleading, shaking as his muscles tried to fight her control. The pain behind his eyes was almost blinding as he tried to recover his soldier's instincts. He fought his lungs to cooperate in breathing, which she also seemed to have control over, then suddenly lightheadedness replaced the pain and he lost any hold he had on trying to recover himself. He barely heard the gunshot that resonated through the hanger, all he knew of was the sudden breath he gasped in as he felt her control over him lost. He fell to his knees, taking gasping breaths, at the same time she collapsed into him, his wide eyes looking up through sweat and tears.

"It's just a tranquilizer." Heero's voice was cool, but far from calm as he stood a few feet from them, lowering the gun in his trembling hand. Trinity would kill him for that, if Quatre didn't beat her to it, but he would have done the same to either of them if they were out of control. He closed his eyes a moment to regain his own senses before they opened again, shifting from her unconscious form to Trowa. "You alright?"

Trowa, very shakily, wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her as he nodded. Heero knew it was a lie. He didn't have to say a word. "What the hell is going on around here?" he whispered as Heero knelt beside him, placing his gun in its holster.

"I don't know," he answered as he carefully checked for Kalli's pulse. The tranquilizer he'd used was probably a little much for her bodyweight, but he couldn't take chances. "I know you tried to give her an outlet, but simulations are no replacement for actual battle." He reached into his pocket, removing his cell phone and flipped it open, dialing what had become a fairly familiar. "Sally, send a stretcher to the Gundam hanger for Lightning… Heavy tranq… We'll tell you about it when we get down there…" He flipped it shut before sliding it back into his pocket.

"What's happened to me, Heero? I'm not the soldier I should be…" Trowa avoided his gaze, his eyes remaining on Kalli as he loosened his hold on her to push the hair away from her sleeping face.

"None of us are, Trowa. It's been years since the last big threat, we've all grown soft." Heero raised a brow and attempted to pull Trowa's focus on him. He finally grabbed Trowa's chin, firmly, pulling his head up until their eyes met, his gaze hardened. "Trowa… It's a consequence of peace… None of us are the solid soldiers we were during the war… It's up to us to prevent soldiers like that from being required. Kalli's subconscious still doesn't understand that, her hatred is so strong." He shook his head.

"We would be called fools by our younger selves, Trowa, weak by our own standards. But even Wufei has changed his definitions of weakness and strength after marrying Sally and becoming a father." Again, he shook his head, releasing his hold on Trowa's chin. He sighed and his eyes softened.

"No, Trowa, we aren't the soldiers we were, but that doesn't mean it's who we SHOULD be… Back then we didn't have anything to lose... now we have everything to lose. At the same time…" He paused another moment. "At the same time... we can't be afraid to fight AGAINST that which we are afraid to lose."

* * *

><p>Before Duo even reached the ground after exiting the shuttle, Izreina's arms were wrapped around his neck in a fierce hug. "I'm sorry for calling you back from your vacation, Bro." The muffled words hadn't even finished leaving her lips as she broke down in tears, burying even further into him as he wrapped one arm around her waist, the other holding on to his duffle bag until he could pull her away from the stairs so everyone else could get off.<p>

A few steps to the side and Quatre took his bag, giving him a brief shake before that arm circled around her, holding her tightly. "S'okay, Rainy. You girls are a lot more important." He gave a concerned look to Quatre as a hand rubbed his sister's back while she sobbed into his shoulder, mentally relaying what had happened so far. He couldn't really make too much of the visions swarming around in his head, but it was VERY clear just how upset she was about the whole thing. "Two Stormers in the Med Center…man ain't this familiar…?" he whispered, shaking his head. "You been taking care of yourself, right?"

He gave his sister a brief glance, hoping to catch her eye, but she just continued to hide herself, trying to control her sobs. He didn't need a reminder of the closeness of her to her sisters-in-arms. When one Stormer fell, it wouldn't be long before the others did, as well. Now two were down, but Izreina had been holding herself together pretty well, he could tell. Duo was very appreciated to have Quatre for a brother-in-law. He didn't have to worry, Quatre would make sure his sister was well taken care of.

"She's been a trooper… Because of Jacob's connection to Trinity, she's done pretty well taking care of herself so that he can be taken care of." Quatre gave the twins a small smile, though concern filled his eyes, silently adding, _I wish I could say the same for Kalli.._. He gave a quick look around the place, avoiding the gaze his wife now shot him, before turning back to Duo, a brow raised. "Hilde and DJ didn't come with you?"

DJ was the nickname used for Duo, junior. Just about everyone felt ill at ease calling Duo's son "junior", as if they needed a constant reminder that Duo's annoying personality was just as alive in his son, who HE called "Mini-me", which was even more disturbing to the others.

"Nah," he gave Izreina a nudge with his shoulder to get her to back off just a bit and kept one arm around her as he followed Quatre to the car. He didn't miss the glare she had sent her husband and a brow rose as he looked at her. He nodded when she silently informed him she'd tell him later. "She decided to stick around and wait for Lena, figured she could at least offer to help babysit Aaron during the conference… Wu-man's already said his security guys won't do it, they'll do their job, but they won't babysit… not after last time…"

Quatre did his best to hide the grin, knowing very well the 'last time' Duo was referring to. "Yes, Aaron is very much his father's son… I don't blame Wufei's team at all… I've never seen anyone disarm that many guards and disassemble their weapons so quickly… without anyone noticing… well… besides Heero…" He failed at hiding his amusement. Leave it to Heero's son to keep people on their toes. And leave it to Duo to be able to cheer anyone up, despite the circumstances. "How many did they end up having to replace?"

"Sixteen Preventer-issued firearms… Plus one of Wu's antiques…" Duo scratched his head for a moment while counting, giving Izreina a wide grin and a wink as he heard her try to stifle a chuckle. "Was a surprise to hear he took the assignment, but I guess he really didn't have a choice…"

If Relena had to trust anyone else than Heero to be in charge of her security, it was another gundam pilot, if not her brother. She most certainly wouldn't have asked Heero or Zechs to leave with Trinity in such critical condition. Quatre had triple trouble, between Izreina, Jacob, and Kalli. And the short story Duo had managed to interpret from Izreina's visions was that Trowa was in bad shape, as well. It seemed he'd need a really cool head to help everyone get through this; certainly his personality could do the job on its own, as long as he could keep that cool head.

"Are you certain Hilde's up to the task? I'm sure Wufei will enjoy having someone else keeping Aaron occupied, but…" Quatre raised a brow as he passed Duo's bag off to one of his assistants.

"What are you talking about? The kid loves his Aunt Hilde, and Hilde loves kids. There ain't one she's refused to babysit yet."

"Duo, dear…" Izreina didn't succeed in holding in the laugh, holding her sides as she laid her head on her brother's shoulder, walking alongside him, happy to be relieved of her worry, even if it's just for the moment. "It's a proven fact… that putting a Maxwell child and a Yuy child in the same room together for any length of time is highly inadvisable. Disarming guards and taking apart their weapons to the point they CAN'T be put back together is nothing compared to what those two can come up with to relieve boredom…"

"Aah, Hilde'll be fine… She ain't no pushover when it comes to Mini-me," he shook his head, giving them a very confident smile. "Aaron can't be too much more for her to handle, right?"


	8. Chapter 7

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Seven

As quiet as it was in the Peacecraft/Yuy household, no one slept. The tension was so thick it made the atmosphere just unbearable, and their guests were more than ill at ease with the situation as it was. Zechs was in NO mood to answer any more questions, especially from Lucas' parents, who seemed to be more concerned with how Noin was doing. Apparently they had been two of her students at one time. That opened up a whole new can of worms, as the phrase goes. Every parent involved in this case, save for Casey's parents, had been members of OZ in the past. And that list included OZ's 'deceased' leader. Coincidence? He didn't think so, especially not with the school bearing Treize's name. And exactly what part did the school play?

Zechs rubbed his eyes as he shut down his computer. He'd been going cross-eyed trying to read the text on the screen through his fatigue, and it was causing one hell of a headache. He picked up his mug of coffee, absently taking a sip, only to spit out the now cold liquid. He grumbled not even a coherent swear as he set the cup down, leaning back in the chair of his home office. He had no idea what time it was, he just knew that it was late, and not even the kids were sleeping.

A brow rose as he looked towards his door as it opened, leaning forward. He could have sworn he locked the damn thing, but he didn't hear anyone fiddling with the lock, and the intruder didn't even have the decency to knock. Prepared for anything, he laid a hand on his weapon, ever at his side. His brow fell again to join its neighbor as a frown tugged at his lips.

"You're getting too good at that, Michael…" He sighed, again leaning back in his chair. The small grin he gave his son fell as he watched Michael walk in, clearly troubled by something, probably everything. "Heero's not back yet?"

Michael shut and locked the door behind him, shaking his head. "Apparently, there was a situation with Aunt Kal. Uncle Heero said she mentally attacked Uncle Trowa, could have killed him. He's gonna stick around HQ for a little while; Uncle Tro's in bad shape, more emotionally than physically… Aunt Sally and Doctor Lange are keeping Aunt Kal under heavy sedation until they can find out what's going on…" He walked up to his father's desk, withdrawing a prescription bottle from his pocket, and tossed it to him.

"Aunt Sally gave you those for a reason… You need rest… I can take over watch for a little while, although you know the security system that Uncle Heero designed is more than capable of doing the job…" He stepped past his father, leaning against the window frame, staring up at the night sky, watching as the stars disappeared behind dark clouds. A storm was rolling in.

Zechs caught the bottle and just set it down on his desk. "I'm not taking a sleeping pill, Michael… I haven't been taking them because they would have made me sleep through your mother's seizures, and I'm not taking them now, because I need to be alert in case something DOES happen… I know what my body is capable of, and I know its limits." His brow rose again at his son's silence and he turned to look at him. Though his back was turned, he could still see his eyes, reflected in the glass. His son was very much like Trinity and himself, when it came to emotions, he hid them well. But his eyes were always showing something.

Right now, they showed a variety of emotions, certainly concern and fear, but mostly confusion, and Zechs knew why; he didn't figure it would be much longer before this topic came up between them. "Michael…?" he prompted, he didn't think he would really get anywhere by just diving into the conversation. Michael had questions, so he would let him ask them.

Michael turned slightly to meet his father's gaze. He hesitated a moment as he slid his hands into the pockets of his pajamas. "When… when do you…KNOW… that you're in love?" He took a step away from the window, to slide down onto a bench against the wall next to it, taking his hands out of his pockets to cross his arms, crossing one leg over the other. Nika and Alyssa would have called it eerie, the mirror of the way his father was now sitting.

Zechs offered him a small smile, though a sad one. Michael had been handling the entire situation up until now pretty well, hiding his pain as well as any of them, better than any of them, in fact. But Zechs knew that as much pain as he was in regarding his mother, he was hurting even further in regards to Kiera.

"That's no easy answer, son. But ask anyone who IS and they'll give you a three-word answer… You just know. And sometimes, it takes something drastic to make you realize that's what it is." The small smile was gone from his face as he took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he sighed. Michael was obviously expecting a more detailed answer. He looked out the window for a moment, watching distant flashes of lighting in the clouds.

"I'll be the first to admit… the initial attraction between me and your mother was purely physical, it usually is. Neither of us was capable of understanding the concept of love. Well, at least I wasn't. She must have, with the way she took care of Kal and Iz. But in one night, all barriers, any walls surrounding our emotions were broken down. From then on, I knew I felt something for her, cared for her. But I didn't realize that feeling was really love until six years ago, when Barton sabotaged Maelstrom and I watched it detonate." Zechs looked back to Michael, still silent, and he took another breath, holding it before it released in another sigh at the same time the sound of thunder rolled behind the approaching storm. "Kiera?"

Michael nodded, attempting to avoid his father's gaze. "We've never really seen each other outside of school, unless you count a few after school 'study sessions'… Well, we never actually studied…" He shot his father a glare as Zechs raised one brow, attempting to hide a small grin. "We just talked… about anything and everything. It's so… easy to hold a conversation with her, be it something as engaging as politics or something as stupid as what they call 'food' in the cafeteria. Obviously, she's never tried Casey's mom's cooking, so I still say I've got that argument beat, hands down…"

He gave a small smile and a soft chuckle, shaking his head for a moment before the smile disappeared and he continued. "But it's just as easy and comforting to not speak at all. If it was raining, we just sat at the window, watching it; we didn't have to say a word."

Michael closed his eyes as the rain began as just a few droplets hit the window, then a few more, then it fell all at once, pattering against the glass in a steady rhythm. "Kiera loves thunderstorms…" He was silent for a long while, just listening to the rain fall.

"We're going to find her, Michael." Zechs uncrossed his legs, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, meeting Michael's eyes as they opened.

He gave his father a small smile and a nod. "I know… It's just going to be a lot harder without the Storm…" He reached in his pocket as a tone sounded from his cell phone. "Aah… damn voicemail box is full… been getting reminders about it all day…" He flipped it open, connecting with his voicemail box, putting it to his ear as he leaned back against the wall, occasionally pulling it away to press the button to delete a message.

Zechs leaned back, hiding a chuckle, a small grin on his face as he shook his head. "If you checked your messages every now and then, you wouldn't have that problem. And how do you know none of those messages are important?" His grin faded as Michael's eyes widened a moment, then narrowed as he pulled the phone away, setting it to speakerphone as he replayed the message, eyes turning to his father. He didn't say a word, his face white as a ghost.

"_Michael, I know you're the world's worst about checking your messages, but damn it you better check this one! Something weird is going on around here. I told you I was gonna stay late to work on that project for Burns' class. She said there was no problem with it, but Langley completely flipped when he saw me in the computer lab, and not with his usual angry lecture. He seemed almost frightened. He pretty much dragged me out the door and offered to drive me home. He was kinda skittish when we walked past the administration building, and I heard all sorts of noise coming from inside. Langley didn't say anything as he drove me home, but constantly eyed his rearview mirror. I'm heading back early in the morning before administration gets there, I GOTTA see what's going on. Wanna join me?"_

Zechs had already had his computer booted up, and he didn't say a word to Michael as he stood, his son taking his place behind the desk, immediately going to work at the keyboard after he laid his phone down on the desk beside him.

"I've gotten into the school's database before; it's not very well protected…" He glanced away from the screen only briefly as he felt his father's glare on him. He shrugged. "I… might have gone in and changed one or two of Casey's grades so he wouldn't be kicked out… It's not fair that he be completely expelled for a fraction of a grade point…"

Zechs rested one hand on the back of his office chair, the other on the desk as he leaned forward, watching the screen over Michael's shoulder. "We'll talk about THAT later, son…"

He flinched as he met Zechs' dark glare and very quickly turned his eyes back to the screen. "I'm in… looking for security footage from Wednesday morning… Most of administration is on a separate server, with HEAVY protection… It's gonna take some time getting into it, and I'd rather do it from HQ… it'd be harder to trace from there. But I can at least access the outside security cameras from here… What the…?" He stopped his work, leaning back, blinking at the screen that just went completely blank. A split-second later, his cell phone rang. He picked it up, looking at the caller ID. "Langley…?" He gave his father a glance as he flipped it open, making sure the speakerphone was set to on. "Hello..?"

"_Michael, I know what you're doing, and I can't let you... You may have the Preventers' protection at the moment, but this guy is insane… I'm sure you're aware of what he's capable of. Yes, Kiera's there. She's… okay for the time being; he's pleased with her performance. We're trying to do all we can to stop him from using her to hurt any more people, but we can't do much without risking her life and endangering the students we have living on campus…"_

The entire time the professor was speaking, Zechs watched his son as he dug through his pockets, silently. His brow rose a moment and Michael didn't even offer him a glance until he withdrew a mini-recorder, gently setting it next to the phone as he pressed record. Zechs shook his head, a small smile, releasing his hold on the back of the chair a moment to give Michael a nudge.

"So he's holding them hostage…?" he asked, tightening his grip when it returned to the back of the chair. "You're not willingly involved?"

There was a pause, accompanied with a deep intake of breath and a heavy sigh. _"General Peacecraft, I presume… We were, at first… The school was in danger of closing down for lack of funds. He came at us with an offer to cover our expenses as long as he could use our administrative facilities. Gradually, he started inviting staff members into his little scientific community. By the time we caught on that there was something not quite right, he had men stationed inside the dormitories in various positions. We've… already had two students hospitalized with food poisoning and one more because of a… an accident."_

He paused again, taking a few breaths, as if trying to calm himself. When he spoke again, his voice trembled. _"I…I knew Kiera would have been in danger if she stayed too late that night, that's why I was so quick to get her home. If I'd have known that she was going to go back early the next morning to snoop around…"_

Zechs hand moved from the back of the chair to rest on his son's shoulder, as Michael's hands clenched into fists. "What is he planning?"

"_From what I can tell… Revenge… That's it… There's been no indication of him wanting to do anything else. I know his first stage is completed…"_

"That being taking out Mom…," Michael hissed through clenched teeth, his Yuy glare staring at his reflection in the blank computer screen. He barely felt the squeeze Zechs gave his shoulder.

"_Th-the Pr-Preventer T-Tempest was your m-m-mother? Oh, God, Michael, I'm s-s-sorry…"_

Was…? So Barton had intended for the attack to kill Trinity, and he believed it succeeded. Zechs shook his head at Michael, before his son had a chance to spill that she was still alive. He had no doubt that his son's professor was being watched, and any information he gave was likely signing his death warrant. They weren't about to give away what could possibly turn into a trump card if Sally and Caleb Lange pulled off the stunt they told him about.

He gave a motion to Michael to remain silent as he spoke. "So this has nothing to do with OZ remnants? An academy bearing Treize's name harboring a terrorist just doesn't add up."

"_M-m-most of the s-s-staff were OZ members, y-yes, but our l-loyalties were t-to H-His Excellency, not OZ itself. Tr-Treize K-Kushrenada w-w-was a gr-great man. W-We were pr-proud to have s-ser-…"_ There was a sudden silence as the call ended.

Michael's hard gaze met his father's as he switched off the recorder, and neither of them had to guess at what had happened. In the morning, someone, somewhere, would be finding Langley's body. Both of them slammed a fist down on the desk, simultaneously.

"Why are you carrying a recorder around in your pockets?" Zechs straightened his stance, picking up the recorder, placing it in his uniform jacket's pocket.

"I usually use it during class to record lectures so I can make more complete notes later… But sometimes I use it for memos…," said Michael as he sat back, swiveling to the side. "Like reminding myself that I need to tell Mom it's time to upgrade the Preventer's system protection…"

Zechs' brow rose again as his son stood. "What did you do this time…?"

"Nothing major, Dad… I promised Mom I wouldn't fry the system again…" He gave his father a small grin despite the uneasy feeling within him about everything. "Let's just say Duo's gonna have a surprise in his office when he gets back from vacation…"

"Michael…," his voice took on a tone of warning, but he couldn't completely hide his amusement at the thought of the normal prankster becoming the victim of the prank.

"It's just a virus…" He held up a hand as his father's glare turned on him once again. "It won't harm anything. Basically, when he logs in, a white screen will appear with a cartoon Deathscythe doing the Macarena…" He grinned as his father stared at him for a long moment before breaking down into a chuckle. "I can't take all the credit… Nika did the graphics… We've got one for all the gundams, but getting into Mom's or Uncle Heero's accounts will be difficult, not that I wouldn't take on the challenge… It wouldn't be much fun sending it to Uncle Quat and Aunt Iz or Uncle Tro and Aunt Kal because they're only reserves now… And I'm not gonna dare to prank Wufei… I value my life just a little too much…"

"Wise decision…," Zechs shook his head. "I guess we'll plan on being at the office early. Duo's shuttle got in this evening, so he'll be there in the morning. And I don't want to miss that…"


	9. Chapter 8

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Eight

Une raised a brow as she passed Duo's office, stopping as she heard the music, his laughing, and what sounded like him falling out of his chair. She seriously contemplated just leaving it be, but curiosity got the better of her and she back tracked the few steps to his door and looked in, a brow raised at Duo as he grabbed the arm of his chair, hoisting himself up onto his feet, meeting her gaze with a grin and a shake of his head.

"Mikey," was all he said over his laughing and she just shook her head, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose as her eyes closed. Maybe she should just go ahead and put the kid on the payroll. She knew Trinity had been allowing him to hack in every now and then to make sure the system has reliable protection, hell she knew he was the reason for the crash eight years prior. If she put him on the payroll, she could deduct damages out of HIS check instead of hers next time…

"I don't want to know…," she shook her head again as he gave a gesture, inviting her to take a look. "Conference room in an hour, Duo…" She didn't wait for a reply as she walked out the door. Okay, maybe she was a little curious about what Michael had done to Duo's computer, but she just had way too much on her mind.

She didn't even acknowledge her secretary as the girl gave her a 'good morning'; her mind was just so full. Instead, she walked past the girl's desk, immediately shutting her office door as soon as she was inside. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she looked up to see Treize sitting in front of her desk, waiting for her. She felt her cheeks flush, embarrassed at being caught off her guard momentarily. Though she was actually glad he was there, saved her a trip.

He gave her a small smile, though worried. Though she carried herself as well as she always did, he could see the sleeplessness in her eyes. He could pretty much guess she saw the same in his as she returned his sad smile. He stood, as was the gentlemanly thing to do when a lady entered a room. "Good morning, Lady… I hope you don't mind me stopping by, but I thought we might have a chat over coffee." He gave a nod to two fresh mugs of coffee sitting on her desk. "It seems there's a lot going on around this office and I can't help but worry about the burden it's put on you. I suppose that I haven't helped matters any…"

She shook her head, getting over her initial embarrassment. "It's all connected, Mister Treize…" She took a breath as deep as she could manage, letting it out slowly to compose herself and her thoughts. She gestured for him to sit as she walked around her desk, sliding into her office chair. "I…," she started, but closed her mouth to think for a moment. "Well," she began again, "I guess we need to start at the beginning…" She rolled her chair over to a filing cabinet behind her desk and opened one drawer, pulling a folder from it, then shut it again and rolled back to the desk. She placed the folder on the desk and slid it over to him. "Do you remember these girls?"

He picked the folder up, staring a moment at the label, and his eyes met hers as he opened it. "The Preventer Storm?" His eyes fell back down to the personnel profiles, and he studied them in shocked silence for a moment, gazing back and forth between the three photos. "I do… The empty shells that Romefeller sent to us… It's hard to forget soldiers like this…" _But their eyes…,_ he thought as his eyes concentrated on their faces. _They've changed…_ "They've grown… evolved, perhaps?" Tempest, Lightning, and Thunder…

When his eyes met hers again, she nodded. "They've truly become the superior soldiers that they were intended to be, while managing to gain back their humanity. Zechs and Noin did a good job hiding them, but eventually lost them as the War came to its climax. And while Dekim Barton was using Marimeia to begin his revolution, his son, Sarris, was using them for a very dangerous project, predicting that his father would fail." She leaned back in her chair, idly twirling a lock of hair around one finger, her eyes never leaving his. "The project was designed by the very person responsible for training not only Tempest, but the 01 gundam's pilot, the perfect soldiers, a man named Odin Lowe."

Treize turned back to Tempest's profile, studying her picture even closer, the dark hair, the intense blue eyes. "They're brother and sister…" Why would a man train the two to fight on opposite sides? He turned his gaze back to Une, the question clear within them, and her answer equally as clear. "They were created to be used as weapons… And he sold them to whoever would pay…"

She nodded. "The gundam scientist purchased the younger of the two, hoping to undo some of the training that had been imposed on him. Romefeller bought the other, and instead of forking over more money and time for him to train others, they ordered her to train two prisoners as she had been trained, resulting in the three shells we were ordered by them to train in mobile suit combat." She leaned forward long enough to pick up a cup of coffee and sat back, just staring into it for a moment.

"After the Eve War ended, Sarris Barton collaborated with Lowe in forging a new kind of weapon. The Psi Project, it was called. A small device attached to the brain would give its subject telepathic capabilities, and the ability to connect to certain computer systems. The connection that the three Stormers have with their gundams makes the ZERO system, the control system we installed on Epyon, seem like child's play." Une closed her eyes a moment, forcing herself to remain calm, composed.

"Four test subjects didn't survive the project and Lowe and Barton found the three of them. Lowe knew that if anyone would survive, they would, because they were taught to survive. And when they did, a program included in the device would ensure that they followed the order of their master."

"A man playing God to be able to make such a thing…," Treize shook his head, closing the folder. He placed it back on her desk, closing his eyes for a moment. "The thoughts of man can often be more dangerous than their actions…" Their eyes met again as they both opened and she nodded. "I can see why they'd need the command program…"

"I'm not going to go into great detail about everything, but an accident caused the command program to lose contact to the younger girls, and before they could be executed, Zechs and Noin rescued them and destroyed Barton's base at the time. They joined us as Tempest, Lightning, and Thunder… And what they can accomplish through their new bonds with each other and their suits is amazing. Against an enemy they are a force to be reckoned with; their skills even outshine the gundam pilots'…"

Treize closed the folder, laying it back down on top of her desk. "What does this have to do with Kiera?" She suddenly lowered her eyes, and he felt himself regretting the question. He thought his heart stopped for a moment, consciously reminding himself to breathe to make sure he was still there.

"Barton survived an encounter with the Storm six years ago, and he's out for revenge…" She leaned forward, setting her cup down on the desk before laying her head in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees. She couldn't look him in the eye, and it took every bit of her strength not to break down. She's had conversations similar in nature with parents of agents that wouldn't be returning from one mission or another, and even though her agents were pretty much her family, none of those conversations tore through her emotional barriers like this. But then, none of the parents affected her as much as he did. He was calm as he waited, listening. She was sure that his eyes would betray that calmness, but she didn't have the courage to look into them.

"Using Kiera…," Treize said, softly, watching her as she nodded in silent confirmation. He sighed as he sat back, running a hand over his face. "He's implanted this device into my Kiera…" He didn't receive a reaction from her, but her silence was telling enough.

She closed her eyes tightly for several moments, forcing what was left of her reserves to strengthen the battle against her emotional walls. A long breath in, then out slowly. She allowed her eyes to open, lowering her hands, still avoiding his. "His intention was to use Michael Yuy, Casey Lange, and Lucas Kale. The emotional blow to Tempest would have been devastating. Kiera just happened to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. So he took advantage of the situation…"

"Tempest is Michael's mother…" He gave a wide-eyed glance down to the closed folder on her desk. He didn't know why he was surprised, why it didn't click before now. After all, he knew with a first glance that Zechs was the boy's father, even if Kiera hadn't told him. And he knew Zechs had been fond of the woman, years ago. The name Yuy should have been the next clue, he immediately made the connection to Heero Yuy, after all, the name wasn't really popular. But the thought of Tempest being his sister hadn't ever occurred to him.

Une leaned back in her chair again. Her mouth parted to speak again, but no words came out as her office door was suddenly thrown open, then slammed shut. She was quickly on her feet, her mouth gaping at the intruders for a moment. She shouldn't have been too surprised; nearly all of them had developed quite a habit of inviting themselves into her office unannounced. She just wasn't expecting this particular trio.

Treize was on his feet the moment the door was open, and for some reason he couldn't quite grasp, he felt compelled to position himself between Une and the newcomer. His eyes locked with the familiar cobalt stare, silencing any lingering doubt that the woman that stare currently belonged to was related to one belonging to the young man and teenager behind her.

"Trinity…?" Her whisper was strong, but that was just about the only strength she had. She leaned forward a little, resting one hand on top of her desk for support. Apparently, whatever it was that Sally and Lange had discovered worked, or she wouldn't be standing there, now. She worried, though, at the fact she was dressed in the almost forgotten black uniform of the Stormer.

"We're going…," her soldier's voice stated. Her fierce eyes remained locked with Treize's for a moment before they softened into a more reassuring glare. She finally turned her attention to Une, who understood all too well she didn't have to elaborate on where or why. Her brother and son remained silent behind Trinity, but with equal intensity in their matched eyes.

_Trinity, you can't be serious!_ She gave a nudge to Izreina's presence in her mind; the massive headache she was feeling at the moment wasn't made any better by her shouting.

_Izreina…_, her voice replied softly. _You're prime concern is Kalli. She needs your guidance. Lend her your strength; help her fight her demon…_ Without another word, she shut the mental door to concentrate on the conversation in front of her.

"You… you're taking Michael with you?" Une's voice pulled Trinity out of her thoughts a moment, but their eyes never quite met.

Trinity gave a single nod. "Michael has a skill we've been proven to lack. He may be able to succeed in getting into Sarris' computers without setting off the explosives he's so fond of… Too many civilian lives at stake, this time, and that task is vital to mission completion… Zechs has a team assembled and they will be handling evacuation of said civilians. We're taking no one else. The others have too much to worry about, at the moment…"

Her eyes settled back in locking gaze with Treize. They narrowed on him a moment, as if sizing him up, more like confirming what she already knew. Her eyes softened again as she sighed, inwardly. _Kiera will have trouble to adjusting to what Sarris has given her. There is a serious threat of insanity to a mind that has not been conditioned for survival, and there's no safe way of removing the device. Will you trust me to guide her?_

He blinked a moment or two, until then, he hadn't truly understood the change that this woman had gone through from the empty shells she and her counterparts had been. The eyes that regarded him weren't the eyes of a shell. They were eyes of a human being, and more certainly, a concerned parent. Her voice in his mind was startling, but the comforting sense her soft voice gave was enough to ease any tension. This comfort that she offered him, he knew Kiera would need. And he nodded, silently to her.

The corner of her lip turned upward, in a comforting smile to accompany her soft eyes. The smile was gone as Une's voice asked if they would need anything for their mission. Her attention turned to the commander and a mischievous look took over her features. "Just make sure Sally and Lange are ready for a new arrival."

Une raised a brow, blaming her fatigue for the amusement in her voice. It took a surprising surge of strength NOT to laugh. "They don't know you've left, do they?" The smile returned to Trinity's face and that was all the answer she needed. She shook her head, literally falling back into her chair. _God, these Yuy's_… Trinity's smile grew even wider and Une picked up a pencil, throwing it at her. "Get going. And if Sally asks me, I don't know a thing… It's just like the two of you to go off without telling anyone…" She leaned forward, shuffling through various items on her desk, attempting to find something to busy herself with.

Trinity caught the pencil and tucked it behind an ear as her smile disappeared and the soldier filled her glare once more. "Estimation to mission completion, five hours…" She turned, giving her brother a nudge, whose eyes had never left Treize. He and Michael never said a word as they opened the door, exiting. Trinity paused in the doorway with a hand on the doorknob as she sensed Treize's questioning eyes on her, and the question he thought, her mind picked up loud and clear. _What will you do with Barton?_ She closed her eyes a moment before she braved a glance over her shoulder, meeting his eyes again, the familiar glare of a death threat within them. That was her only response and he nodded before she closed the door behind her.

The office remained silent for a moment before Treize turned, staring down to Une, who just looked positively exhausted. "Interesting family you've gained…" He leaned against her desk, offering her a small smile. He had to admit… he felt a little better about the situation since the mental exchange with Trinity. It seemed he placed his trust in the right people.

She gave a soft chuckle. "You don't know the half of it…" She let her head hit the desk with a loud 'thud' as her phone rang. Without even looking up, she pressed the intercom button. "Hi, sorry, I'm not in right now; I've gone to find myself. If I return before I come back, keep me here…" Okay, her weariness was getting to her. That made no sense, whatsoever and silence answered for a moment.

"…_Lady Une…?"_

Her head immediately shot up, that was NOT the voice she was expecting. "Relena!" She looked over to Treize who had somehow slipped from his place against her desk at her sudden movement. She slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her laugh contained as he smiled at her from the spot on her floor he had landed. He simply crossed his legs, nodding towards her phone and she immediately forced herself sober up. "I'm sorry, Relena… Things are…" _Completely fucked up, at the moment_, was what she wanted to say. _As usual,_ was the afterthought and she shook her head, trying to get her thoughts back on track. She wisely kept her mouth shut, running a hand over her face to pull herself together.

She heard a small chuckle from the other end of the line. _"I know, a little… crazy…, as always… You sound about as exhausted as everyone else…"_Une gave a small smile, she was pretty sure 'crazy' wasn't the word Heero's wife wanted to use, but she, being the polite politician she is, had to be careful what she said, even when talking to friends.

"Something I can do for you, Vice-Foreign Minister?" She didn't want to really sound too callous, but she was just so tired, she didn't really care what she sounded like at the moment. She cringed at what the young woman said next.

"_I was wondering if you've heard from Heero or Milliardo. They're not answering their phones. I've been trying to reach them all day. Even Michael's sent me straight to voicemail…"_ She paused a moment and Une could tell by the silence she figured it out, even before she said it. _"They're gone…"_ 'On a mission,' she was sure Relena wanted to say, but she had gotten pretty good at knowing what and what not to say on the telephone. _"How long…?"_

"You should know, by now, that's not something I can answer, Relena… But it's important… They'll be back by the time you get home tomorrow…" She hoped, at least. Considering their past encounters with this bastard and the confirmation of his insanity, had her praying. She and Relena both merely muttered their goodbyes and the call ended. She let her head fall to the desk again, sighing. After a moment, she felt Treize's hands on her shoulders, and she tensed a bit, but relaxed as his fingers started kneading a kink in the back of her neck. "How did you do it…? You ran the entire world without going crazy…"

He chuckled, lightly. "Who's to say I didn't? Some of the most talented and brilliant minds in human history were crazy. Some, like the gundam scientists, even insane. But it doesn't stop them from doing what's necessary. The position that I held then was necessary. You're charged with a task much more difficult than that, keeping people like me from becoming necessary." He stopped his work on her neck, pulling her hair away from her face as she turned it to glance up at him. "Crazy comes with the territory, but you've done a wonderful job here, Lady. You've made me proud."


	10. Chapter 9

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Nine

_Who are you?_

Izreina's mental voice was not very strong, but it was clear. She needed more information. She had a thought about Kalli's newest soldier persona. It wasn't Kalli. Simple as that. It wasn't Lightning either, because even Lightning had respect for Kalli's husband. This persona had no such respect. It had thrown insult after insult to Trowa even during its attack on Trowa. Even in Kalli's sleep, the persona was at work, using Kalli's talents to continue to hurl mental assaults, not just at Trowa, but the others as well, though they were nowhere near as powerful as the first attack on Trowa had been.

The only option Sally and Lange had come up with to stop the attacks was to induce a coma as they had Trinity, but that wouldn't solve the problem. Izreina had to have access to Kalli's mind. At least, while Kalli was sleeping, it would be easier to identify the soldier from Kalli and Lightning, since Izreina knew both of these personas well. The problem, now, was what do with it. First, she figured she would find out what the hell they were dealing with.

_Someone who is worthy of the talents given to this weakling._

Not the answer she wanted. And it was apparent that her sister wasn't even aware of this persona. Kal was certainly no weakling. And once she found out what this soldier had done to her husband, she would prove it. But it was likely this persona wouldn't allow that. And what happened to Lightning?

_Considering what you've used the talents for, I'd hardly consider you worthy._

Izreina did not regret her words as she became the target of the soldier's next attack. She had hoped to focus the attention on her so that the others would be safe. She gripped the arms of the chair so tightly her nails literally dug into the wood as she fought back the wave of pain. After a long moment, it was painfully obvious Izreina wasn't strong enough to fight this persona. Thunder needed to interfere, to find Lightning. Then, perhaps, they could both fight out this intruder.

Izreina searched her own mind to recover the soldier that had been buried. And when she 'spoke' to the intruder again, Thunder's mental voice was stronger than it had ever been, and the presence of Thunder in Kalli's mind always pulled Lightning out to join the Storm collective.

_I will ask you to leave only once._

The reply from the intruding persona was as expected. _I don't think so…_

But it was slow in coming; strained, confirming that Lightning was attempting to answer the call, fighting against its apparent imprisonment. Thunder knew she had to push further to break the walls. If Izreina was the dominant persona at this point, she would have hesitated. This would damage Kalli's mind, but it was necessary. Sacrifices are made in war. Kalli would heal. Thunder's mind fully invaded, further drawing Lightning towards her.

_**There is no room for the likes of you…**_

Thunder gave a small smile at hearing Lightning's voice with hers, even though it felt weak. Lightning had apparently been fighting this demon, as Trinity had called it, for quite some time. Thunder's presence wrapped itself around Lightning's in an attempt to strengthen it.

_I will NOT give in… This woman is not worthy of the gifts Master Barton has given her…_

Thunder's smile fell as she felt Lightning being pulled away from her again. Master Barton… This intruding presence was a servant of Sarris… Before she knew it, Thunder had completely lost her connection to Lightning and the intruder forced her presence out of Kalli's mind with another attack that sent Izreina flying out of her chair and across the room.

Izreina didn't feel herself hit the wall. In fact, she wasn't even aware of the attack until she felt someone's hands help her up off the floor. Her eyes met the worry in her brother's as she finally regained her senses. Telekinesis… That was new… and extremely dangerous. There was no way that was something given by the psi device. Kalli must have had a hidden talent, like her brother's empathy. Izreina muttered a quiet curse. That was why Kalli's mind had always fought the device; it was attempting to override abilities she already possessed.

She shook her head as Duo helped to steady her. This wasn't good. Now the intruder had another weapon at its disposal. She shot a glance over to Kalli. The intruder's presence felt weaker, as if the fight had been a bit too much to handle. Good, it would be resting for a while to regain its strength. That would give her some time. Thunder wasn't going to win against it alone. She looked at the doorway as Sally ran into the room.

"Put her in the coma…," she said, her voice soft and shaky, both hands grabbing hold of her brother's arms for support. "I… We have to wait for Trin to get back…" She nodded and leaned against Duo as his arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes a moment to try to gather strength, but she felt Duo lift her off the ground just before she lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>"Damn…," Trinity muttered as she opened her eyes. She laid her head against the back of the jeep's seat, looking up into the evening sky for a moment. All day and now into the night, the sky was darkened with clouds, remnants of the previous night's thunderstorm. This was good; nature was giving them cover to help them in their stealth. Still, this mission was going to have to be quick. Kalli's body and mind would not be able to handle everything she was being put through at the moment. And she certainly won't be in her coma long before the intruder found a way to fight through the medication, which was a possibility, considering the strength it has to lock Lightning's persona away. She ran both hands over her head a moment taking in a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh as she turned to look at Michael.<p>

"Dad's crew is almost in position," he said softly, understanding the statement in her eyes, so he didn't even voice his question. The mission needed to be quick and successful. His aunt Kalli's life probably depended on it, not to mention his mother's and Kiera's. His eyes turned back down to the laptop resting on his lap. "Getting around the defense system will be tricky, but I think I can do it. I can't guarantee that the charges won't go off, but the timers will be off by a few minutes."

"How much time can you give us?" she asked as she stepped out of the jeep, zipping her jacket up. She took the weapon offered by her brother and checked it over before slipping it into the holster on her hip.

"Approximately ten minutes. Based on the information I've seen from the attack on his headquarters six years ago, and the rescue operation six years before that, it looks like they're set to go off at sixty-second intervals. Considering the size of the building in comparison to his previous headquarters, it shouldn't take more than five minutes before the place is gone. That's IF the explosives are limited to the admin building, but if he's holding the students in the dorms hostage, I'm willing to bet the entire school is wired." His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment as he looked at them. "I've no idea what they've done to the admin building since last time any student set foot in it, but I can have a diagram of the building in less than a minute. And I should be able to see where the explosives are shortly after."

"We don't have time to wait for it," Heero said as he checked his own firearm. "You'll have to give us directions once we're inside." He stared at his nephew for a moment as he slid his gun into its holster. He almost couldn't believe that Trinity had allowed the teenager to be involved with this mission, but he had to keep reminding himself who his parents were – General Milliardo Peacecraft and the Preventer Tempest, two of the strongest soldiers he had ever known. He also had to keep reminding himself what HE was doing at Michael's age – fighting with four other teenagers to save all of humanity.

"Your communicators have trackers built in. I've got their frequencies installed. I'll know exactly where you're at. And if they fail…" Michael glanced up from his computer to his mother for a moment.

"I'll be in touch," she said, lightly tapping her temple. "You have a weapon. You know how to use it. If you sense trouble…" She frowned as her eyes met her son's, worry filling both cobalt gazes. She didn't like the idea of him being out here. First there was the fact that Barton had admitted to wanting him for his project. But secondly… the Storm and the gundam pilots did this kind of work to prevent kids like Michael from being used as they had been. Still… there was no denying Michael was good at what he did. She didn't trust anyone else to even attempt what she had asked Michael to do. Once she and Heero were inside, their lives were in Michael's hands from the moment he hacks into Barton's computer system.

Michael nodded as he pulled away from his mother's gaze, back to the computer screen. He stared at the screen for a long moment before answering, knowing what she wanted was for him to confirm his orders. And he understood her reason. But, at the same time, she knew him far too well. "Abort and take care of myself…"

Her eyes narrowed on her son. Oh, yes, she knew him far too well. She knew that half-hearted answer meant the order was more or less a suggestion to him. But then..., she sighed, giving a somewhat defeated glance to her brother… All Yuy's were the same. When there was a job to be done, it was done, without regard for their own safety.

Heero offered her a hint of a smile, as she knew was best he could do. It was of little comfort to her, but she took it as it was intended. She looked back towards Michael, but stopped, a sudden expression of surprise crossed her features as her son stood beside her, his arms wrapped tightly around her neck. She stood stiff, stunned for a moment.

It had been years since he'd last hugged her. As he grew, he'd learned to curb displays of emotion, as neither of his parents seemed truly comfortable in those situations. He remembered the only time he was able to hug his mother without her stiffening in discomfort was when she was in that hospital bed at HQ six years ago after she was caught in the detonation of her sabotaged gundam. Seldom, would he offer any touch of love to anyone, even his sisters. Even when he did, it was little more than a brush through the hair or a touch on the hand. But he couldn't fight instinct any longer as he slid out of the jeep and had his arms wrapped around her before he even knew it. And when she finally relaxed, letting her arms slide around his waist, he shut his eyes tightly, fighting the emotion within them.

"You and Uncle Heero are always telling me to follow my emotions," he said after a moment, keeping his hold around her as he pulled back to meet her eyes. And Trinity was realizing, for the first time, that he had grown taller than her. He stood almost as tall as his father, now. "Right now, they're not going to let me leave here without Kiera, or you. Even if I have to go in, myself, and get you." He pulled one arm from around her neck to hold up a single finger as she began to protest.

"All of you… the Storm, the gundam pilots, the Preventers in general… All of you have given up so much to fight so the rest of us can have peace. But what about peace for yourselves? Someday, humanity is going to return the favor. I'd just as soon do my part now." He let both hands rest on her shoulders as she dropped her arms from the embrace. "Mom, you're always giving everything you have to protect and watch over everyone else. It's my turn, now. And my turn's not gonna be over until I die. There will be no discussion." He stepped away from her and slid back into the jeep, pulling the laptop back into his lap. "You can order me to abort all you want, but I'm not leaving here until our mission is complete."

She glanced over to Heero who had a smirk spread across his lips. "He is _YOUR_ son, Neesan…," he said with a soft chuckle.

"_YOURS is going to be that age before long, Yuy…," _said Zechs' voice over their communicators. As annoyed as his words sounded, Trinity gave a small smile at the hint of pride in his voice. _"We've only got a fifteen minute window to get in place while they change watches on our end. And that begins now, so you'd better stop talking and get going."_

* * *

><p>"You're not going to let them do it alone, are you?" Treize leaned back into the chair after setting a fresh cup of coffee in front of Une. He had claimed a permanent spot in her office since she hardly left it the entire day and used his time to aid her however he could, be it fetch her caffeine or food, or simply offering an ear to listen to her rant. She was certainly a different woman than the colonel he had relied on during the days of OZ. The Preventers that served under her respected her. And not out of fear, either, as the OZ colonel had earned her respect. She cared for her subordinates. And in the case of the gundam pilots and the Storm, they were her family. Lady Une proved she would do anything for them. And the more he observed her work, the more he stood by his earlier remark. He was proud of who she had become. And the woman he saw now he admired far more than the colonel.<p>

She was still getting used to what was clearly defined as a role-reversal compared to what she was to Treize fourteen years ago. And even though a part of her was utterly uncomfortable about him tending to her needs, she felt much more at ease with her current position. She understood now, why he had relied so much on her back then. It was easier do deal with things when you had someone to share your burdens with. And simply his ever calm presence and demeanor was enough to comfort her.

"In a normal situation, if you can call anything that happens to this family normal, they'd have the other pilots to back them up." She gave him a small smile in thanks as she picked up the coffee cup. "Obviously, that's not an option…" Her smile disappeared as she leaned back in her chair, sipping on the black liquid. Sally had just sent her latest report on Kalli and Izreina and it didn't look good. Une couldn't say she completely understood what was happening with the girls, but she knew for sure that there was always some kind of trouble without Trinity to hold things together. "And however well-trained my operatives are, I don't think I could, in good conscience, send them into a situation reserved for the expertise of the gundam pilots. Besides, Trin made it clear they were on their own… but…" She paused a moment before continuing thinking aloud.

"Lucrezia is on stationed on L1. And Marimeia left yesterday to escort Zechs' daughters to her for safekeeping. Duo is down in the Med Center holding watch over our two Stormers. Wufei is with Relena on L3. They'll be back some time tomorrow evening. Quatre is busy with a very emotional kindergartener. But he's got a mission as soon as his sister, Aria, gets in tonight to take over with Jacob. Trowa's been missing since Kalli was brought into the Med Center yesterday." She sighed, lowering her eyes to stare into her cup. "I suppose his disappearance is understandable. His wife nearly killed him. I've never seen him so… broken is the only way I can describe it. Whatever it was she did to him… Yuy's said it's got him questioning his capability as a soldier. That's something I never expected of him."

"Does he have family outside of the pilots?"

"He has an adoptive sister. Part of a travelling circus troupe. Quatre is hoping that's where he's gone." She sighed again as she leaned forward, setting the cup down next to her keyboard. She continued to stare into the steaming black depths for a moment before looking up, meeting his eyes.

"Zechs said the school administration and teachers are mostly made up of former OZ members. That's why the school bears your name. He also said the staff isn't willingly involved in Barton's plans. He's holding the students living on campus hostage." She paused a moment to dig through a mess of papers that were scattered across her desk. "I've got a list of personnel and have been running checks on them. A handful of them were Specials..." She gave a nod after finding the page she was looking for. "…Including the principle, Marcus Day…"

"I find it hard to believe that Specials would give in to the demands of a terrorist." Treize frowned, reaching forward to take the page she offered. "I remember Marcus." His eyes left hers to briefly glance over the page before returning. "And I can tell you running a high school is NOT what I pictured someone like him doing. He was too much like Alex and Mueller."

Une gave a nod and a shrug as she sat back in her chair. "I had the same reaction. But we've all changed since the end of the war. And, yes, I made double sure to check that he was running a high school and not a training facility. Several of his students that graduated during the first three years of the school have become Preventer operatives. And they're damn good in their respective departments. He and I had a long conversation the other day when I pulled Michael out of school to watch over his mother. Well… more of an argument than a conversation, but I believe in him."

"So you think he'd help Zechs?"

"I doubt he would if I asked him." She sighed for a long moment, staring at the paper as he handed it back to her. Her hesitation probably told him what she was thinking, but she knew he was waiting for her to say it. Her eyes finally met his again. "But he would never refuse you…"


	11. Chapter 10

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Ten

_Sarris sends his love…_

Kiera couldn't get the words out of her head. Neither could she forget the pain that she caused. This Barton person, she knew was downright crazy from the moment she laid eyes on him. But how in the world could anyone hurt someone else the way she had the woman called Tempest, Michael's mother! Michael would never forgive her. He'd hate her for the rest of her life. Granted they didn't really know each other outside of school, but, other than her father, she hadn't felt comfortable with anyone else.

And her father! He'd be upset… disappointed… maybe disgusted. She had lied to him about where she was going so early that Wednesday. That would be enough to disappoint him, but the violence this Barton guy had used her for and would likely continue to use her for… Her father had always told her that humanity had seen enough violence. She knew he had fought in the war but he had never said anything about his part in it, and she could see that he probably never would tell her. It always made him sad. What would he say to her when he found out what she had done…?

She hugged her knees to her chest, clinging close to the walls, as if she could meld herself into the corner of her cell. Tears had long ago stopped as her gaze fixed on the door, waiting. She could 'hear' them, her guards. The silent conversations with themselves, knowing if that conversation ever left the safety of their minds, they'd probably be in a world of trouble with their supervisor. She could see what they thought of her, what they wanted to do to her. But she'd known Barton had given them strict orders. And she knew why. It wasn't for her sake, it was for theirs. She knew what she was capable of. And she could kill them with a single thought if they came at her with any ill intention. He was probably counting on it. He probably already expected her to hurt them and make an escape, to take advantage of what he had given her. But she knew he wouldn't let her go. She knew all he had to do was command her and she'd obey. He had that effect.

She could 'see' just about everything anyone in that place was thinking. After several hours of a maddening flood of images and voices, and a seriously large headache, she had managed to focus on one train of thought or another. And she gained quite a lot of information about what the hell was going on. But the headache kept her from putting that information to use. The only way she found to rid herself of the headache was to focus on the mind closest to her. Unfortunately, that meant one of the two perverted guards outside her door. But she could deal with the images of her abuse in their minds as long as it made the headache go away.

There was only one person she couldn't read… Barton. She could mind speak to him, but that was all she could couldn't see what went on in that man's mind, and she actually TRIED to, but the more she reached, the more she felt some kind of force pulling her back, not pushing her away. It was definitely something he did with her… 'gifts' as he had called them… that protected him. And she figured it had something to do with Tempest.

_Sarris sends his love…_

The words rang again as she thought it over. Then something happened she didn't expect. She didn't know if a little light bulb went off in her head to put the pieces together or if it was the familiar voice she heard in the back of her mind, a voice that she was certain belonged to a dead person by that time.

_We were involved once… Before he used me and my friends the same way he used you. And apparently, he didn't take his punishment too well._

Kiera raised her head and was on her feet in a matter of seconds, the recognition settling. _You're okay?_

She felt warmth in the response, certain it was accompanied by a smile. _Barton still continues to underestimate my friends' dedication and my ability to bounce back from anything. And I seem to have underestimated you. You're able to focus your mind really well._

Kiera frowned, raising a hand to the bandages wrapped around her neck. _He's taken away any other means of communication from me. I've had to adjust._

There was a pause from Tempest's end and Kiera felt herself about to panic before she 'spoke'. _You're doing well, Kiera. I'm sure you've figured out, by now, that you can go insane unless you can focus._

_The headache was… not fun… as if any of this is…_Kiera found herself giving a soft grim chuckle at her choice of words. Fun… hah…

_It can be…_Kiera raised a brow, hearing mischief in the voice. _It takes mind games to a whole new level… I could really use your help if you wouldn't mind playing…_

Kiera felt a small smile playing on her lips as she saw Tempest's plan. She knew what she was capable of, and she knew that not everything Barton had given her had to hurt people. But she could definitely play with them. And she finally had a use for the information she had acquired earlier.

_I can do that…_ she replied to Tempest as her smile grew into a dark grin, her gaze falling back on the door and her two guards on the other side.

* * *

><p>Marcus Day knew, sooner or later, someone would make the connection regarding the disappearance of Kiera Jameson. The first time that he talked with Chief Saunders about it during the initial investigation, he wished he could have done something. When that Barton character had made it quite apparent what his intentions were, every person on his staff was ready to do something, but as crazy as the man apparently was, he was smart too. Well over a hundred students lived on campus and Barton had men trained on every one of them. Three had already been hospitalized for something or other because of his staff's defiance. He couldn't make a move without endangering his students. That was one of the reason he had been so difficult with Lady Une when he had spoken with her about Michael Yuy's absence. He was relying on what he remembered about the former colonel and had fully expected her to drag him down to Preventer headquarters and flog him, or something, for his rudeness. At least, then, he'd have a chance to tell her what was really going on.<p>

But she was not at all what he had expected. The entire conversation, she had remained calm, collected. He could tell she was frustrated with him, but she had kept her cool. A part of him had wondered if she already knew something that was going on, because of the timing of Michael's absence and because his mother's 'illness' was being branded a 'Preventers matter'. He hadn't truly understood everything until Barton paid a visit to Kiera, telling her what he had done and why.

Barton had immediately been drawn to Michael, since he first appeared a year ago. But who wouldn't be? Though Michael's parentage was a well-kept secret, any former OZ soldier would recognize Mister Treize's right hand man in the boy. Though no one really knew what the man had looked like under that mask, the boy's hair, his voice, his overall demeanor was too similar to the former Lightning Count to consider it a mere coincidence. Marcus hadn't realized that this wasn't the reason he was interested in the boy.

He had only met Michael's mother once, during freshmen orientation. Trinity Yuy was… an interesting woman. She didn't say much, but when she did, she was polite, straight-forward. Her voice and expressions remained voided of all emotion. But those intense eyes, focused on nothing and everything at once, shone with pride as she was led by her son through the tour. Marcus knew he met with a soldier that day. Never once did she answer his questions about who she fought with, but the fact that she seemed to hold a great deal of respect for His Excellency Treize was enough to satisfy his curiosity. Now he understood. He prayed that the Preventer Tempest was really as strong as the rumors said she was.

Obviously the Preventers knew what was happening, by now. And after Langley's murder, he knew Barton had people watching him and his staff members to make sure they didn't further interfere. But he hadn't expected how quickly everything had happened after police discovered Langley's body.

Now, he and six other members of his staff were seated around a conference table at Preventer headquarters after being arrested on charges of conspiracy on top of the pending charges of kidnapping and murder from the local police department. At least something was going to be done about Barton. He would accept whatever sentence he would be given as long as he knew Barton was going to go down.

His gray eyes met hers briefly in acknowledgement as she walked into the room, a silent remark in them giving her the assuredness of their cooperation. But his breath caught as his eyes widened, focusing on the gentleman that walked in behind her. He hesitated only a second, and he was on his feet, body rigid at attention, right hand immediately drawn into a salute even before comprehension dawned on him.

"Sir!" It wasn't even a half a second later that the other six were in mirrored stances as Lady Une slid into the chair at the head of the table that the gentleman had pulled out for her.

"I am, in no way, deserving of such loyalty…,"he said as his hands rested on the back of Une's chair, his eyes studying the seven men. "…as the man you salute no longer exists… But…," he paused, moving one hand to rest on Une's shoulder. "In honor of that man, a few of our former comrades are in need of assistance. The Lady's operatives just aren't up to the task. And I'm sure you're aware of the reason."

Marcus was thoroughly confused. And it wasn't hidden as his brow rose, exchanging glances with his companions before settling back on the man they were damn sure was Treize Kushrenada.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners?" he gave Une's shoulder a light squeeze as he felt her trying to stifle a chuckle. "I haven't introduced myself. My name is William Jameson. My daughter, Kiera, is one of your students."

Marcus felt the color drain from his face. A couple of his companions looked downright ill as they all fell into their chairs. The man was Treize. He looked like him, acted like him. Whatever he called himself, he was Treize. He just had that… air about him. And Kiera was Treize's daughter… Marcus closed his eyes a moment to focus his thoughts. He didn't have the right to ask His Excellency for forgiveness in allowing what had happened to Kiera. But he was damn sure he and his staff now had the power to do something about it.

His eyes opened and met Une's again. "Whatever you want… we'll do it."

* * *

><p>Michael's brow rose as he observed the sounds coming over his mother's and uncle's open communicators. Apparently, her diversion worked. He didn't know what she did, she often had a habit of doing her own thing without telling anyone as long as it aided the mission. His eyes lifted from the screen to focus on the building clearly visible from his hiding spot and shook his head at the sight. Guards ran from the building, screaming, frantically swatting at things that weren't there, occasionally firing a shot from their weapons that accidentally hit one of their was a powerful thing, he decided. Obviously one of his mother's mind tricks. She was good at those. He was certain that was how she got him to do his homework when he was younger.<p>

Getting into the computer system was far too easy. And so far, he had discovered no explosives connected to the system. Only an idiot would believe this was good. Nothing involving this guy was ever easy, even Michael knew that.

"This is not his center of operations…," he said, thinking more aloud than relaying information through the communicator. "Almost nothing is secured… Casey would have been able to hack into this system," he added, eyes narrowing on the screen. Not that he was putting his friend down or anything, but Casey was one of those completely computer illiterate people that doesn't know much more beyond turning the damn thing on. He knew how to use a cell phone and that was it.

"_It's a trap of some sort…,"_ his father's voice replied. _"We've had no resistance. All students and faculty are now on their way to headquarters. The rest of my men are taking care of the guys outside. I'm on my way to admin now."_

"_Negative."_ Michael frowned at the tone of his mother's voice. It was not something he was familiar with and definitely not something he was comfortable hearing. Panic. Everything had gone way too smoothly up until then, and obviously Trinity had sensed the danger. But he hadn't expected panic from his mother. _"Get to Michael…"_

"Too late…," Michael said, softly, his hands freezing on the keyboard, eyes lifting. He never heard their approach, and still didn't see anything until four rifles were trained on him.

_Good job, Kiera._ Trinity gave her brother a smirk as they rounded one corner into an almost empty hallway, save for a couple of men on the other end running, shouting, fighting each other as if they were the other's worst enemy. It was a trick Trinity often used, projecting into the senses the object that one fears most. After all… she remembered from a song that Kalli listened to quite often… 'Fear is only in our minds, but it's taking over all the time.'

What she hadn't realized, was how far the girl's reach had been. Trinity remembered, in the beginning, she wouldn't have been able to take on more than two or three before she needed to break to regroup herself. And she and her counterparts had been, sorta, prepared for what Sarris and her father had done to them. So, how had Kiera adapted so quickly?

Everything was running far too smoothly for Trinity's liking, and the smirk she had donned quickly faded as she and Heero came to a screeching halt in what shouldn't have been an empty room. They'd been set up.

_I'm sorry, Miss Yuy…_ The girl's voice was soft, quivering. She heard the mental thought even as she heard Michael's voice over the communicator._"This is not his center of operations."_

"Kiera…," she whispered, hands clenching into tight fists as her soldier's glare met its mirror in her brother. She vaguely heard anything else over the communicator as she closed her eyes, trying to find Sarris' puppet.

_I can't fight him…_ The response came in a tearful tone. And Trinity knew the pain she felt. She knew what it felt like to be forced to obey a command she didn't want to. And it was apparent Sarris had learned from the mistakes he made with the Storm. The orders to Kiera were precise, and absolute. But there was a surprise, as Kiera was fully aware of the orders. Trinity remembered that many of the orders given to her device for her to carry out, she wasn't aware of until after they were done. But Kiera knew what she was being forced to do. And one comment proved it. _I'll do what's left within my power to protect Michael…_

Trinity's eyes shot open and panic within them met her brother's as Zechs' voice came through. _"I'm on my way to admin now."_

"Negative...! Get to Michael!" She felt the tears beginning. What kind of soldier was she? She hadn't seen any of this coming. What kind of mother was she? She'd taken Sarris' bait and dragged her son into his trap. The color drained from her face as she heard two words from her son, his voice well-controlled. But as soft as they were, they stung, dragging her soul into a state of dread she hadn't felt so strongly before.

"_Too late…"_

She suddenly felt weak during a very long silence over the communicator. "Michael, no…" A whisper was all she could manage as her knees buckled underneath her.

"_Hello, Love…" _Trinity lost all feeling as HIS voice came through. She was only vaguely aware of her brother's touch as he eased her numb form to the floor. She was too concentrated on that voice.

"_Sorry that Miss Jameson wasn't there to meet you. But I'm not quite done with her, yet. She's performed far better than I ever expected her to. I've still got plenty of work for her."_

"Bastard…," she whispered. The slur in his language made it apparent that the Storm's attack six years ago hadn't completely failed. He was damaged, but it was also evident that that's what made him even more dangerous.

"_You've taken quite a lot from me, Love. I'm simply returning the favor. But I'm not done yet. I'm claiming back something else you stole from me."_There was a pause and Trinity's panic-stricken eyes turned to her brother again. _"She's got a birthday coming up, doesn't she? I think it only fair that her real father throw her a party since her mother won't be making it."_

"BASTARD!" she screamed just as the communications lines were cut. She wasn't even aware of the soldiers that had followed them into the room, not until the shots were fired.


	12. Chapter 11

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Eleven

Zechs stopped in mid-run, halfway to the administration building from his previous post at the dorms. The voice that came over his communicator was filled with panic. The words didn't even register in his mind, just the pain of the person they were coming from. Trinity was NOT one to panic. Not on a mission, not ever, except for that one time, six years ago, when she lost the mental connection to her counterparts in the Storm during a time they desperately needed that connection.

Damn it, he knew this mission had gone far too smoothly. They just weren't that damn lucky. As much as he and the pilots thrived on action, he was getting to a point in his life that he'd kill to have a desk job. Was he getting that old? Couldn't be, he was only in his early thirties, for Christ's sakes!

He didn't dwell on it, as he knew his current mission. _Get to Michael!_ Trinity's words finally became clear in his mind and his eyes spotted the four soldiers moving in on his son's position.

"Damn it!" He took off in a run, his weapon drawn. There would be no sneaking in, he didn't have the time for stealth. Fine by him, his adrenaline fueled a more head-on approach.

He didn't get far before he hit the ground, a searing pain suddenly shooting through his thigh. His attempt at getting to his feet failed as his weight went unsupported by one leg. He hissed as he glared at the dark fabric of his pants staining an even darker color as blood saturated it.

"Fuck!" he cried as the second shot to his shoulder forced his hand to release his weapon before he could train it on his assailant.

"Sorry, darlin'," the woman's voice drawled out as he felt the barrel of her weapon press into the back of his neck. "Yer not my type."

This wasn't possible. He couldn't fail. Zechs Merquis, Milliardo Peacecraft, whatever the hell people called him these days, neither man was a failure! Certainly not when his son's life was at stake! He could see his weapon on the ground, just within reach of his good hand, but before he could do anything about it, another shot was fired.

But it wasn't from the woman's gun, he realized as he saw her bloody form hit the ground beside him.

"We're getting far too old for this kind of work, Colonel Zechs…"

The voice pulled his eyes up to their speaker as he managed force his body to cooperate in getting to his feet, stumbling as his bad leg refused to support the strain. "Somebody's… got to… do it… Otherwise… we let… bastards like this… ruin… everything we've done…"

"That's why we make sure the next generation understands the importance of our sacrifices." He reached to support the general as his injuries betrayed his attempts at remaining upright. "We're preparing them to take our place in protecting the peace our comrades died for."

Zechs' pain couldn't stop the grim smile spreading. "You've changed, Day… I worried…, for a time… that you'd… be one of the… idiots we'd… be hunting…"

"I'm not so dense to not know that I was wrong." Marcus adjusted his hold on his weapon to support the general's weight as he led him towards a waiting jeep. "Come on. A few of my guys have already got the Yuy's in transit to your headquarters. Just waiting on you."

The eyes that met Zechs' caused the former colonel to frown, and Zechs immediately turned his attention to where he was initially headed, only to find it void of any presence.

"They've taken Michael. I'm sorry we didn't get here in time…"

"What…," Zechs's voice wouldn't cooperate for a moment. He'd failed. He closed his eyes, attempting to find some part of himself that apparently all of them had lost over the past few years. Damn it, how could he face her, now? Failure was enough of a burden, in and of itself, but failing his family was something he couldn't deal with… Not again…

* * *

><p>About as to be expected, Une had been dealing with outbursts from every end of the emotional spectrum during the long hours of the night. The parents of the academy's students, of course, had every right to act as such. She made sure to keep the encounters as brief as possible, and none were too happy about her withholding information about what had transpired. She was VERY thankful that police chief Saunders took over in dealing with the parents. It surprised her how well he handled them, amending the opinion she had of the man.<p>

The morning sun drowning her office in light was way too cheerful for the mood. And the 'good' news was far from over as she stared at the screen, feeling her breath catch. She'd known SOMETHING was going to happen on L1 when their team had returned from the academy. But she wasn't prepared for what she was hearing. She felt his hand touch hers from beyond view of the computer's camera and her eyes briefly twitched to meet his as she finally managed to draw in a breath, her eyes falling back to Noin on the screen.

"_It's… not looking good. Dr. Gains says as soon as Marimeia's vitals are stable, he'll authorize a transfer back to headquarters to put her under Sally's care. But…,"_ it was obvious to Une that Noin was having enough trouble maintaining a professional air with the situation. Her voice cracked, but she didn't even attempt to try to control it. _"He doesn't look for her to recover. The bullet did far too much damage…"_

"She…," Une cleared her voice, closing her eyes collecting herself. "She understood the dangers when she applied to become a field agent. And she's certainly been through this before…," the words brought a small smile with the memory of her first meeting with the girl in person, the sacrifice the eight-year-old girl had paid in a split-second decision to defy her grandfather. She nodded, gaining strength from that memory, and the smile turned hopeful as her eyes opened to meet Noin's again. "She'll recover." She nodded again for emphasis. "How's Alyssa?"

"_She's… in shock… A few bruises from when they forced her away from Nika, but otherwise unharmed… Nathan's managed to get her to eat a little and she's sleeping now. We'll be accompanying Marimeia when Gains approves the transfer."_

Une simply nodded as she leaned back in her chair and Noin continued.

"_You both would have been proud of her."_ Of course she knew who else was in the office besides Une, as she offered the Preventer commander a knowing, if pained, smile.

"Of course," Une replied with another smile. "Get some rest, yourself, Lucrezia. Let me know when you get the report from Dr. Gains and I'll make sure Sally's ready for her."

Goodbyes were exchanged and Noin's face disappeared from the screen. Une ran a hand over her face, wiping away any traces of the smile that had been there, before she allowed her eyes to meet Treize's again.

"I have royally screwed up…" Her words were precise, articulated. And that was all she said for a moment. Her eyes darted to the phone. "The next call, I guarantee you, is going to come from the president demanding to know what the hell I'm doing, since it's obvious I'm not doing my job… again…"

"Have you learned nothing in all your years with me, Anna? Or even with Relena Peacecraft…"

The use of her first name, which few knew, immediately drew her eyes to him again as he stood from the chair which he had occupied for the greater part of the last two days.

He walked around her desk and leaned against it, his eyes never leaving hers. "Humanity is imperfect. Mistakes are a part of that imperfection. The difference between us and others, like the Barton family, is that we recognize our mistakes. And we take appropriate action to ensure that those mistakes don't happen again. There was no way you could have prepared for this to be an outcome. And what would the president have to say about it, anyway? It's obvious that Barton's intentions were of a more personal nature than attacking the Earth Sphere Unified Nations. In reality, your department has no official stance on the matter, save that it involves nearly all of your highest ranking operatives. The most he can do is reprimand you for allowing your subordinates to act on their own. Considering you already carry that guilt, it'll probably be nothing more than a slap on the wrist."

She frowned at him. His voice had been strained. His disappointment at the failure of the mission to bring back Kiera was apparent in that. Yet, he had always had a knack for saying what needed to be said. "I'm sorry…," she whispered as she forced her gaze to break from his.

He knelt beside her, taking her hand in his, giving a squeeze, commanding her gaze to return. "Kiera's strong. VERY strong, considering what you've told me about the implant Barton gave her. And from what I've heard of Michael and his sister, I've no doubt the three of them will take care of each other. What you need to do on this end is clear. You ALL need to get some rest. After some sleep you'll be able to regroup and reevaluate the situation."

He stood, pulling her up out of her chair with him. "The other day… You asked me how I managed NOT to go crazy with all the responsibility that I had on my shoulders in the past… Truthfully, I did… but I still managed to hold myself together to do what needed to be done because I had people supporting what I did… And I had people supporting ME…" He reached up to brush her hair, which was a tangled mess by now, away from her face. "I had you, Anna."

* * *

><p>Heero didn't bother restraining himself as he was on his feet, his arms wrapped tightly around his wife as soon as she ran in the door. He closed his eyes, shutting out the rest of the world as he inhaled her scent, her perfume mixed with the berries of her shampoo, letting his breath out in a long sigh, thankful he had at least a part of him back.<p>

"Relena…," he whispered. He didn't trust his voice to cooperate. The knot in his chest was not something he was accustomed to. He had felt it before, but never this strongly. Missions tended to fail, even if planned out so carefully, it had certainly happened before. And failure never set well with him, but this went beyond the mission. He'd failed his sister.

"Oh, Heero…," was all she said for a moment as she let him hold her. That was all he needed for the moment, something to hold on to, to remind him that someone was there for him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder only a moment and his eyes opened, immediately locking gazes with Wufei as the Chinese pilot passed. Wufei had steadily, over the years, become more open in his feelings regarding the other pilots, accepting his brothers-in-arms as family. Still, physical contact was kept to a minimum and Heero knew this was all Wufei was capable of offering in comfort. It was appreciated and he nodded his thanks.

"Sally should be finishing up with Zechs. She's ordered everyone to get some rest, would you remind her that she needs it, as well?"

The corner of Wufei's mouth twitched upward in his version of an amused grin. "When has that woman EVER listened to me?" Still, he nodded, he knew his wife well enough, by now. Sally knew her limits, but she'd push herself to make sure everyone else was taken care of first. He'd have to remind her that she had a capable staff of doctors to take some of the burden. And if it came to it, Wufei would throw her over his shoulder and carry her to their quarters, sedating her himself to get her cooperation. He'd deal with the consequences later.

His smile quickly disappeared as he sensed something else in the other man's eyes as they remained focused on his before Heero turned his attention back to Relena. He simply nodded, realizing that now was apparently not the time to discuss whatever was on his mind, and gave the pair a slight bow in farewell as he walked down the hallway.

Relena had stepped away from Heero, keeping her arms around him, a brow raised in question at the look in his eyes. "What is it?"

"Treize… He's here…" He shook his head before she could ask the question he saw in her eyes. "I don't know all the details; I haven't had time to look into it. But it appears the puppet that Barton is using, Kiera Jameson, is his daughter. I know, the Barton's seem to have developed a habit of that, but I don't think he knows. She's just one of Michael's classmates that got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"He's playing a dangerous game just to hurt Trinity…" Relena sighed, closing her eyes as he bushed a light kiss on her forehead before pressing his against it. She said nothing about Treize. Any issues she had regarding the man had long ago been resolved. But Wufei's conscience still continued to bear a scar, as did her brother's. That was something the both of them would have to confront on their own.

"I know… And once he finds out that his soldiers failed to kill her at the academy…" His eyes closed as he released a sigh. A slight tremor entered his voice as he pulled her closer. "I'm scared to think of what he might do to Nika and Michael to cause her more damage…"

They held each other in silence for a few more moments before she gently pushed him away, giving him a tender kiss. "Let's go home. There's nothing to be done here, right now. Duo said he'd call me when Trinity and Milliardo wake up. You need sleep, too. Refresh your senses. We'll be able to figure this thing out. And you said Sally ordered EVERYONE. That includes the Perfect Soldier, Mr. Yuy."

His body tensed at the title that had been placed on him and Trinity years ago. It just… didn't fit… Nothing about his performance through this ordeal had been perfect… Maybe Trowa's loss of faith in himself was justified. His eyes opened and regarded her with a glare that had long been forgotten.

"Obviously that's a label that no longer applies to me; otherwise none of this would have happened."

* * *

><p>Trowa was there. There was no other place he could think his brother-in-law would go. Any time Trowa had been in some sort of trouble emotionally, he ended up going to the only place he'd ever called 'home', even subconsciously, as was the case during the war when he had amnesia. Quatre knew he was there; he could sense him, or rather the mess of emotions that was him.<p>

He felt ill as everything hit him suddenly, like a wave trying to knock him over. He leaned against a lamppost for support enough to reinforce his mental walls. Living with two Stormers, he'd had to learn some of their techniques in control. It was far easier to channel their emotions through him. Because of how heavily they relied on their mental connections to one another, their own mental walls were not nearly as reinforced as they should be. Still, as stressful as everything had been lately, his own strength hadn't been enough to block out the strong emotions. As a result, he'd channeled Kalli's anger a few nights ago, when he'd slapped her out of whatever trance she'd been in. But something had been odd about that.

He'd felt Kalli's 'episodes' before, like the night she'd accidentally shot him six years ago. What he'd sensed the other night was NOT the same feeling. And when Kalli finally turned the attack on Izreina, he knew that whatever it was, it wasn't supposed to be there. He wished he'd stayed with them. He knew his wife would be alright, she just used more strength than she'd grown accustomed to. And Duo would take care of her. Kalli was another story, but Quatre knew his twin sister's situation was not the most important at the moment. So there was little he could do about it. Considering all of the emotional turmoil going on at headquarters at the moment, that wasn't the place for him. He would be far more ill than he was at the moment. Dealing with emotions of a single individual was a hell of a lot easier than dealing with those of half of the Preventers. The least he could do was find Trowa.

Catherine Bloom apparently had seen him long before he saw her, she was walking towards him. And she was not happy, her green eyes had a fire in them, and her steps were heavy. Quatre felt like he was going to vomit as her anger joined everything else he was channeling at the moment. But instead, his body tensed, fighting against the wave of nausea with everything within his power. He didn't even try to offer her the slightest smile in greeting. The fight, against the sickness as well as exhaustion, didn't even let him offer her anything but a glare of acknowledgement, akin to something Heero might have offered.

A fact she seemed to notice as the fire was gone, replaced by concern. Quatre Raberba Winner always had an air of polite professionalism. He looked like shit, to put it bluntly. She took a deep breath before saying anything.

"I'll make us some tea… then I want to know everything…"


	13. Chapter 12

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Twelve

Even through her soft-soled shoes, her steps could be heard as she stomped down the corridor. She was not normally one to get angry, but when she did, EVERYONE knew it. Her tantrums weren't as violent as some, but her eyes gave a hardness that would give any of those soldiers a run for their money.

She'd taken care of him for six years. She had to. That's what you did for family. But she regretted it. Especially after the last year. She should have let him die. She knew that was a bad thing to wish of your brother. But he was insane. Seriously, she should have had him institutionalized before he even left the hospital after his stroke. But she had thought she could take care of him. Granted, her specialty is not in mental health, but she WAS a doctor. She was there to help people. And, despite her family's mistakes, she loved them.

But her brother had broken a promise she would never forgive him for.

Without regard for the guards stationed outside his office, she threw open the door with such force it dented the wall beside it as it hit. She caught it as it rebounded and slammed it behind her, not missing a beat as she stormed up to his desk.

"You said she wouldn't be hurt!" Her voice was well-controlled, which proved how deep her anger ran at the moment. She didn't have to elaborate. He knew. And his calmness about the situation fueled the anger.

Still, he wisely avoided her eyes. "Your daughter is a traitor to this family, Leia. Everything our father gave her, taught her, she threw away. She chose to follow Treize's pet." After a long moment, he finally raised his good eye to meet hers. The strength behind it was enough to quench the fire in her. Only then, did it occur to her that there had been a method to his madness.

"The Barton Foundation has a destiny. To rule. Father failed because he was too full of himself. He thought he could take the gundam pilots head on. The Foundation created them, after all. But he made the same mistake with them that he made with your daughter… The lies he fed them about what they were fighting for. Effective in gaining military support from common soldiers, but he misunderstood how hard they were willing to fight for their colonies, which included defying him. The lies he fed Marimeia about Treize's ideals, again, effective to a degree, but she's no common soldier… It made her that determined to know him, certainly no one knows him better than his pet, Une. And he certainly should have known that the pilots would do what was necessary to protect their… peace…"

He shook his head, giving her that one-sided grin. "Me… I know better… we have to take out them, first. They've become too sentimental in their false sense of peace. Emotions are a devastatingly destructive weakness in all human beings. All it takes is to know which nerve to hit…"

"Father was an idiot, Sarris…," she said softly after a moment. "And so are you…"

"Leia… being my sister will only save you for so long." The grin fell from his face and his gaze hardened on her. "You obviously have a sense of obligation to this family, you've brought big brother back from the grip of death. But I will not make the same mistake our father did. You're a member of this family, don't forget that. But if you defy me, I will not be so forgiving."

She nodded, forcing herself to lower her eyes. "Yes, brother." She stared at his desktop for a long while before leaving his office. Her hands clenched into tight fists, hanging straight and stiff by hers sides as she walked back down the corridor. She should have known better. Her father, both of her brothers… Idiots. So many things they could have done with their influence. But they craved power, and would do whatever was necessary to gain more.

He had been right about one thing, though. Her father had been more than forgiving in her wanting to pursue a career in medicine rather than aid them in their constantly failing quests for power. All he wanted in return was to use her daughter as a symbol for his rebellion. Being cut off from family finances, she couldn't have taken care of Marimeia on her salary as a nurse… not while she was going to school, child care expenses alone would have put her in the poor house. Her father's proposition had solved that problem.

But her brother was NOT her father. He wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she did anything to betray their so called 'family'. She stopped, staring at a photograph framed on the wall of her two brothers. Her baby brother had been just like Sarris and their father, just as power hungry, but far more arrogant about it. She had come to the conclusion long ago that the man who now carries his name is far more deserving of it.

This Trowa Barton would be someone worth remembering. Leia nodded, a small smile spreading across her lips as she traced a finger over the photo. Everyone's going to die someday, she decided. And she may as well die doing something worth remembering, even if that meant disowning her family. However, if she was lucky to live long enough to meet the man now called Trowa Barton, she'd be happy to call him brother.

* * *

><p>Trinity was vaguely aware of another presence in the room, but she didn't bother acknowledging it. She didn't care. Whoever it was, whatever they were doing… Let them… This nightmare was bound to end soon, and she'd wake up in bed at home, Zechs lying beside her, stroking her hair as he often did when she had the nightmares, his soothing voice calling her to consciousness. And everything would be okay. Nika would be in her room with Alyssa. Michael would be in his, if he wasn't standing in the doorway worrying. He always knew when she had the nightmares.<p>

There, there's the hand through the hair, long, slow, tender strokes. But something was wrong... the fingers were too soft to be Zechs', the fingernails too long. And the voice was wrong, also.

_Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping…_ Kalli's music was running through her head again as the voice called her name again. It definitely wasn't Zechs, too feminine. But it was one she knew. And the woman it belonged to wouldn't be here if this was a simple nightmare.

The feeling that hit the pit of her stomach started the tears long before she reluctantly cracked her eyes open, meeting their mirror in the older woman sitting next to her.

"Mom…?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She didn't trust her voice to hold together if she tried it.

"I'm here, darling." Shin Lowe gave her daughter a small but sad smile as she continued to stroke her hair. "Relena called me just as she was leaving L3 and I got on a plane as soon as I could. She's taken your brother home to rest, so I haven't seen him yet. I wanted to make sure to be here so you wouldn't be alone when you woke."

Trinity closed her eyes again. A memory from long ago pushed forward of a similar scene of the mother leaning over the hospital bed, stroking her daughter's hair. Trinity was seven when she had her tonsils removed and her mother was right there when she came out of the anesthesia. This type of comforting was rare; there weren't too many people Trinity felt safe letting so close. Even since reuniting with her mother, their relationship was distant. It felt odd for a moment, but then it was as if they had never been separated, as if her father had never taken her and her brother from Shin.

And now, even at thirty-four years of age, she felt like breaking down and crying there in her mother's embrace. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to control herself, and her voice continued in a whisper to enforce that control. "What have I done, Mom?"

"What you felt you had to, Trinity." Shin frowned, the lines of age deepening in her face as she moved her hand from her daughter's hair to press her palm against the younger woman's cheek. This caused Trinity's eyes to open and they met her mother's again. "But what you should be asking yourself, now, is what are you GOING to do?"

The answer came before Trinity even considered the question. "I'm going to get my children back…" She blinked in surprise a moment, the voice which hadn't wanted to come earlier was strong, full of authority. The voice belonged to the soldier known as Tempest. And Trinity instantly knew WHY she had failed her mission. Coincidently, it was the same reason her father had trained her and her brother the way that he did. The soldier personas of the Storm had all but disappeared over the last six years. That was the problem. The civilian lives they'd led the last six years opened the door to emotions that didn't belong to perfect soldiers. And it was painfully obvious that Sarris had exploited this weakness.

Trinity shot straight up in the bed, out of her mother's arms, the soldier staring at the door, or rather through it to the room on the other side of the hallway where one of her counterparts slept. "WE'RE going to get them back…," the voice continued as she rose to her feet. The answer was plain and simple… and if Sarris thought he'd seen the full fury of the Storm six years ago, he hadn't seen anything yet.

First thing was first… she had to figure out what the hell was wrong with Kalli. She didn't pay her mother any further attention as she was out the door.

Shin leaned back in the chair, watching Trinity leave the room, the small sad smile returning to her lips. "I don't agree with how you've done it, Odin… And I hope you're satisfied…," she whispered. "But they are a force to be reckoned with… And an example the rest of us should follow…"

Duo had just drifted to sleep in his chair beside his sister when the door was flung open. It hit the wall with such force the glass in the small window on the door shattered, and he was instantly on his feet, his weapon drawn. "…the fuck…!" He stopped as Trinity stood in the doorway. Their eyes never met, hers focused on Izreina, but he knew the glare in those eyes. He and the others had learned to distinguish Stormer from civilian in those eyes.

Tempest ignored the gundam pilot's presence as she walked over to the bed as its occupant hadn't even stirred at the intrusion. She gripped one side of the bed sheets with both hands and lifted, promptly throwing the woman to the floor on the other side. That certainly woke her.

Duo was a second too late in noticing what the Stormer was doing, but any objection he could voice was stopped as he heard that dangerous voice.

"On your feet, soldier… Lightning is waiting for us."

Izreina hadn't had time to get her bearings straight when the voice connected; pulling its counterpart out of the corner of her mind it had been buried, recovering from the attack earlier. She was on her feet in a matter of seconds. The eyes of Thunder connected with Tempest and the older woman nodded.

Duo felt his heart in his throat as he backed away from the two Stormers. He knew, damn well, what this meant. He felt his back against the wall, still gripping his weapon tightly as he watched his sister rip the IV line out of her arm. He wanted to stop her. They both still needed rest, exhaustion still clear in their faces. But he couldn't. Izreina and Trinity, he could handle. But Tempest and Thunder, you bet your ass he was afraid of them. No man in his right mind would go against a Stormer when they had a mission to complete. Even Wufei knew better than that, having learned the hard way.

"Rainy…," he whispered and Thunder's eyes briefly met his as she replied mentally before following Tempest out the door.

_Everything will be okay, Isaac._ She hadn't called him by his given name since they had first been reunited, respecting the fact he left that life behind. And he didn't know whether or not to be worried by it.

* * *

><p>Catherine stared into the cup of tea that had long gone cold. She had listened to Quatre's story with patience. Even though she didn't understand a lot of it, she knew the emotional turmoil it caused. Not just in her little brother, but all of them.<p>

"I'm sorry, Quatre. I should have called as soon as he came home. I was just…" Her hands fisted on the table, resting on either side of her cup.

"I know. You've always been so protective over Trowa, and we're always getting into some kind of trouble. It's only natural you'd be angry about his current situation. But Kalli loves Trowa, she wouldn't willingly hurt him. I don't even think she knew she did it. She didn't…," he paused, laying a hand over his heart as he thought the correct way to word it so that Catherine might understand. "She didn't feel right. And whatever has possessed her attacked Izreina as well…"

"Is she alright?"

"A little bruised… She DID get thrown into a wall…" He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "But she'll heal… She's a… Stormer…" A frown came over his face as his eyes took on a faraway look for a moment, a sudden feeling coming over him, a dreadful tug that was all too familiar, but much stronger than it had ever been before. And it was frightening.

"A storm is gathering…," he whispered. "A terrible storm… What we've seen from those girls is nothing compared to this…"

"Category Five…" Quatre was pulled from his trance by the familiar voice.

He and Catherine both nearly jumped out of their seats as he spun to face the previously empty doorway. The green eye that regarded the blond pilot had that look in it, the soldier. Quatre didn't quite know how to interpret the feelings he was sensing at that moment. Everything he had felt earlier was there, but muffled, as if buried. He prompted the Heavyarms pilot to elaborate on his comment, trying to feel him out. "Trowa…?"

"Lightning once told me that they described the Storm's destructive abilities on a system similar to what meteorologists use to define severity of tropical storms. I don't know exactly how they're classified, as they're still learning the limits to what they can do, but I do know that what they did to Sarris six years ago was only Category Three." He folded his arms, leaning against the doorway. "The Storm's abilities rely heavily on their emotional state. Considering what Sarris has done to their Heart, their retaliation will be swift, forceful, deadly, and in all likelihood, suicidal."

Quatre frowned, studying his brother-in-law. "We've yet to see what they're fully capable of, and we know they don't have our reservations about not killing. Killing is necessary in war, but nothing of the sort is happening at the moment…. We should be handling a mission of a simple search and rescue, but what you're talking about is flat out murder…"

"Sarris Barton is the current head of the Barton Foundation. His position alone warrants a preemptive strike. Earth's history is filled with secretive agencies executing rival leaders simply to prevent a full blown war. And he's attacked the highest ranking operatives of an ESUN government agency with the purpose of destroying them, that in itself is considered an act of war, whether or not he has any intention of starting another rebellion."

"We need to calm the Storm… It's quite obvious their soldier personas are going to be needed to bring this all to an end, but if we allow them to operate at the level you're talking about… who's to say the killing will stop with Sarris…?" Quatre stared at the floor, and they both remained silent for a long moment. His eyes were drawn to Trowa as he laid a hand on his shoulder.

"That's what we're here for. We are their voice of reason. We are the firm hand that slaps them down when they need it…" Trowa gave Quatre a small, very small smile as the blond pilot winced slightly, instinctively flexing the hand that had struck his sister a few days prior.

"Are you going to be okay with that?" Quatre frowned at his friend. "I mean, you look better than you did the other day, but… are you okay?"

"I needed a LOT of sleep… and some time to do some serious thinking about where I'm supposed to be… what kind of person and soldier I'm supposed to be. Heero had made a good point. We did what we had to do during the war, no matter what it was, because we had nothing to lose... And now we have everything to lose, we have a family. We are brothers among each other; we have wives, children… things we never thought we'd live to have. We worked so hard to gain those things, we've become afraid to lose them, but… we cannot be afraid to stand up to them, either. We HAVE to be able to stand up to them. Whatever is going on with Kalli, it's something only they can fix. But they'll destroy themselves and everything we've all worked for if we allow them to take on Sarris without us."


	14. Chapter 13

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Thirteen

"Tempest, I'm not giving her the drug and that's final. Dr. Lange's made it perfectly clear why its production was stopped to begin with and I'm NOT going to be responsible for putting her through that again." Sally stood firm in the doorway to Kalli's room, arms folded. She knew the two Stormers staring her down were in full soldier mode, and it took every ounce of courage she had to stand up to them. She was the doctor, here, and damn it, her word was law!

"I don't think you understood us, Doctor. That wasn't a request." Thunder stood just behind the older Stormer, and Sally had to fight herself to keep her eyes from falling to the trail of blood down her arm, left from when she pulled out her IV line. Izreina would get an earful once the soldier subsided.

"We are counting on Lightning's reaction to the inhibitors. Either you give her the drugs and wake her, or we will make you…" Tempest drew Sally's gaze back to her and Sally knew good and well the Stormer was capable, and more than willing in her current state, of carrying out that threat.

"I have made reasonable allowances regarding the abilities of the Storm and how they affect your health, Tempest. But time, and time again, I have had doubts about Lightning's health, the anger management, the self-mutilation… all leading to a heart attack in a fucking twenty-four year old!" Sally lifted her chin, standing her ground as her eyes remained locked with Tempest's. "I will NOT allow her to be put in further danger!"

"She already is in danger, Doctor Po." Caleb Lange stood a few feet from them. "She won't be any more or less with the inhibitors. I've seen things with these ladies that go far beyond what we thought the devices would make them capable of. And it's quite obvious that ONLY they know what can be done to help their counterpart. This isn't a simple case of just rebooting her device's programming like we did with Tempest."

"Your advice is duly noted, Doctor Lange, but I'm the Preventers' medical director. I make the final decisions around here and I've made it. I will NOT give her the inhibitors…" Sally didn't even look at Caleb as she continued her stand. She only broke eye contact when a hand was laid on her arm.

"Sally, just do it…" She looked up into Wufei's eyes. His voice was well-controlled, but his onyx eyes were almost pleading. "Don't make them resort to force. I know you agree with Lange. No one BUT the Stormers know what to do with their abilities. And it was done by trial and error. Let this be another trial. They'll do it with or without your consent. Make it easier on all of us."

"Wufei…?" Her eyes widened at him. She studied him for a long moment in almost painful silence. Wufei had NEVER gotten along with the soldiers of the Storm so it was a surprise to see him supporting their stance now. Maybe it was a gundam pilot thing… She closed her eyes for another moment in thought before turning her attention back to Caleb.

"Shouldn't we have a say in the matter?" Quatre came to a halt just beside Thunder, and for a brief moment, Izreina's eyes regarded her husband before they were quickly replaced by the soldier, a very small smile playing on her lips. In return, he gave her a small, very tired smile. "We ARE Kalli's next of kin; don't we have rights concerning her care?"

Trowa stood behind him, eyes locked with Tempest. A silent conversation passed between them, a challenge from husband to sister and soldier to soldier. After a long moment, considering the information Tempest mentally fed to him, he nodded. He turned his attention to Sally. "They know what they're doing… Let them…"

Sally stared between all of them for another long moment before sighing, looking to Caleb. "Doctor Lange, I'm giving you authority over the situation, considering you know more about these things than I do. If you're sure this is a good idea, I'll authorize it. But if something goes wrong…" Her gaze returned to Tempest and Thunder, narrowing on them both.

"If something goes wrong, we'll all three of us be dead so you won't have to worry about reprimanding us…" It tended to get on Sally's nerves how these soldiers would make such remarks without even the slightest hint of emotions. She couldn't tell whether it was a serious remark or a joke to lighten the situation.

"Just see that it doesn't…" She finally forced her eyes away from them as she checked her watch. "Noin's shuttle will be landing in an hour and a half. I need to be there when they bring Marimeia off. My staff has orders to provide you with whatever you need, Lange. I expect to hear good news when I get back."

"Depends on your definition of 'good'…"

Sally met Tempest's blank stare with a glare. Granted it wasn't as powerful as one a Yuy might offer, but it made its point as Tempest nodded. Sally shot one last glance to Lange before walking away.

Wufei stood to his full height, eyes narrowing on Tempest. "I don't give a damn who you are or what you can do. And I don't care for whatever reason… If you EVER threaten my wife again…, borrowing a Yuy phrase…, I will kill you…"

"Noted…," was her only answer as he followed after Sally. Tempest's gaze turned to Caleb. "We don't have much time…"

* * *

><p>Leia closed the door carefully, tossing the empty syringe in a garbage can just outside the door. She looked up to one of the two guards standing on either side of her. She knew them, both, well. And she sure as hell wouldn't be doing this if she didn't trust them. She knew of more of a handful that would support them in their endeavor, but these two have been handling figuring out who that might be.<p>

"He'll sleep for quite some time; I gave him a stronger dosage than normal. Do you know who can be trusted?" Her brother still trusted her enough to give him medication when he needed it. And that included the occasional sedative, though he would know the difference in the dosage when he woke up far later than he normally would. They only had once chance to get this mission completed. He wouldn't trust her to do it again.

"Yes, ma'am. But no one that has access to those computer systems you wanted." The tall man kept his voice low, a whisper, still uncertain that they could get away with this plan. Too many people were loyal to the sleeping man behind the door, for whatever reason. Leia sympathized with him. It was a long shot, by far, but it had to happen. Someone had to end this.

"If the boy's as good as I've heard, he can get into them… I'm told he hacks into the Preventer systems every once in a while to help them keep their security systems upgraded..." The second man nodded as her eyes turned to him. He nodded towards the door behind them. "Even he's had a hard time getting in…"

"Then we need to move quickly… I want them all gone before Sarris wakes up…"

Kiera let out a small sigh as she slid down the wall. The bastard was asleep. He would be for a long time, this time. This was the only time she knew what was going on with him. She could sense when he was sleeping. And she could sense how deep his sleep. And this was deep. She felt relieved when he slept. He couldn't give orders in his sleep. He couldn't make her hurt anyone in his sleep.

She laid her head back against the wall, concentrating on the person she knew was there on the other side. Michael. He surprised her. He guarded his thoughts and emotions very, VERY well. Kiera supposed that had to do with who his mother was.

_Michael…_ She frowned as she felt his mental walls solidify. He hated her, he had to. There was no way he'd forgive her for what she'd done.

_Kiera…_

She blinked and glanced at the wall, as if she could see straight through it at him. She hadn't expected him to reply, but it seemed he knew exactly how to direct his thoughts so that he could respond to her without her completely invading his mind.

_Michael, I'm so sorry…_ She felt herself near tears; she'd thought those had stopped long ago, but she couldn't stop them, now.

_It's fine…I'm sorry you got involved… Can you reach my mother?_

_I can't. Not since the raid. I've been trying. I think he's blocked me from her somehow. _She closed her eyes as she sensed a hint of disappointment through his mental walls. _There's something going on, though, soon… Not everyone here supports the psychopath…_

_I've noticed. Where's Nika?_

_In the family quarters. He's put her in his sister's care. She's still unconscious from the tranquilizers, from the last update I got. Leia says if everything goes as planned, she'll be home before she wakes up._

_So his sister is in charge of the rebellion?_

_She's not really in charge, but she's playing a huge roll. Barton expects her to betray him, so he's had me watching her like a hawk. I'm learning ways around his commands, though. He's had me watching her, but he hasn't ordered me to report my findings, yet or do anything to stop her. I'm taking advantage of the situation and doing what I can to help her. _Kiera gave a small smile as she felt warmth in his presence. She even heard him laugh.

_With instincts like that, you might just be a Stormer, one day… So what's the plan?_

_I don't know many of the details, but your guards are going to take you to his command center. Your hacking skills precede you… Leia is hoping you'll be able to override the security on Barton's private server. That's where he has the command program for this damned device… Your mom said the thing can't be removed… can it be deactivated?_

_It can… but… deactivating it will sever the connection your brain has to the rest of your body. It will kill you._

She frowned, laying her head against the wall again. _I think I'd deserve that for what I've done…_

She winced as she felt a slight sting of anger from him, emphasized with a shaking wall as he hit it from the other side. She hated to see what the hit would have done to his knuckles. The walls were solid enough she couldn't have heard his voice from the other side, which she knew he must be shouting right about now.

_Don't say that, Kiera. You couldn't have done anything about it without killing yourself. And that's something none of us that love you could have dealt with…_

She blinked a few moments, silent. Did he just say what she thought he just said? She looked back to the wall, wishing she could just look at him for a moment.

_Kiera, I know enough about the program to take you out of his control permanently. He can't use you to hurt anyone else. I won't allow it. Mom can teach you what you need to know about your abilities._ There was a pause as she heard the door open on his side. _I guess it's showtime…_

_Please be careful… I can't leave until that program is taken care of. My guards too… We're under a strict time frame and we're still not completely sure who can be trusted. If you can't get it done, their orders are to get you and Nika out of here as quickly as possible._

There was a long, painful pause in his reply. _I'm not leaving without you, Kiera. I'll pay whatever price if this doesn't work, but I'm NOT leaving without you._

* * *

><p>Noin stared out the shuttle's window. Silence filled the cabin, save for the hum of the engines and the steady blips and beeps of the machines monitoring Marimeia. She idly ran her hand through Alyssa's hair as the girl slept, her head resting in her mother's lap. She closed her own eyes as she felt Nathan's hands working on her shoulders. The knots in her muscles were so tight, she ached all over. And she'd dealt with migraines before, but this one was a fucking killer…<p>

"If you got some sleep, yourself, the pain wouldn't be as bad…" A small smile curled her lips as he spoke and she leaned to one side, attempting to guide his hands to the part that hurt most. "We still have an hour before we enter the atmosphere and another half hour after that before we land."

"I know…" The smile grew just a tad as she could, through the lids of her eyes as they remained shut, see the lights in the cabin dim quite a bit. He knew how to take care of her, that had been apparent long ago. Zechs always did, too. He'd known how to ease her migraines, the right pressure points to press to relieve any pain, and usually, he knew what the stress that caused them was coming from. His treatments usually ended in a lecture that she should take better care of herself. Even after the divorce, after Trinity moved in, he still took care of Noin. And he and Trin usually tag-teamed on the lectures.

The smile fell from her face, a frown replacing it as she opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling of the cabin. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?" The view was blocked after a moment, by Nathan's facing coming into view from beside her as his hands stopped their work, carefully maneuvering around the sleeping girl to take his seat in front of her. Their eyes met for a long, LONG moment in silence as he sighed.

He faced her and leaned forward, taking one of her hands in his. "Lu… I know this week has been VERY trying on you. And I've been trying to hold off talking to you about this, but it's just gotten worse since you talked to Izreina Winner at the beginning." He gave a lopsided grin and a nod. "Yeah, I heard the conversation. Remember? I'm too nosy for my own good."

The grin fell as he looked down to the carpet for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "The point is… I know you weren't really looking for a relationship when we started seeing each other… well… sleeping with each other… That was evident just with how much you talk about Peacecraft. And don't forget, I've been in the same office when you have your weekly chat with him. I know how much you still love him, and who wouldn't? He's one of the best examples of what we stand for. But… I had hoped that spending time with you, it might… I don't know, I thought that might change… I enjoy our time together; I enjoy you… I want more of that… I've found that I don't want anything else than to stay by your side… every day and every night…"

"I know…" Noin gave him a weary smile as his brow rose questioningly. "God, Nathan, you've been dropping hints like crazy, and none of them subtle." She leaned her head against the headrest as the smile turned genuine in amusement at his red face, raising her eyes to stare at the ceiling again. It was gone after a moment, as she sighed. "Before all this happened, I was going to ask if you wanted to move in with me. You practically live at my place anyway… Half my closet is already filled with your clothes."

Her eyes fell back to his. "I will always love Zechs… And I know he loves me… But we're not IN love… we're best friends, have been ever since we were cadets at Lake Victoria, and we're still family. No one has ever known us better than we do each other. But then, we've never allowed anyone else to get that close. Trinity and Zechs understand each other on a level I could never comprehend. Much as I vowed to stay by his side, there were things I just couldn't help him with. Same went vice versa, and it's taken me a long while to figure that out. Zechs could never make me smile the way you can." His lopsided grin returned and she couldn't help but smile. "Just like that. That stupid grin is all it takes for my worries to just… not really disappear, but it makes them easier to deal with."

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that…" He shook his head, chuckling softly as she gave his hand a squeeze. "At least I won't have too much to move… Most of my stuff is still sitting in storage in Ontario. Never had it shipped up to L1, didn't think I'd be staying this long. Never stayed longer than six months on any given assignment. We work pretty well together… And, hey… considering we're not field agents we can still be partners…"

She laughed, softly as to not wake Alyssa. "I told Zechs having a desk job has its perks…"

"That it does…" He leaned closer, brushing his lips against hers lightly. "Get some sleep. I'm heading up front for a little while so I don't disturb you."


	15. Chapter 14

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Fourteen

Une stood silent out on the airfield, patiently waiting. The Preventers commander was utterly exhausted, just like the rest of them, and her usual pristine composition reflected it. She was out of uniform, and the simple skirt and blouse she wore definitely looked as if it was something she'd slept in. Wrinkled was an understatement. And the only reason her hair was brushed was because Treize had done it himself. There wasn't even a trace of make-up to try to cover the dark circles under her eyes.

Her temper when she hadn't slept was nearly as dangerous as her former OZ colonel persona had been. And when THAT colonel had a tantrum… people usually died… It was quite apparent to everyone just how hard the situation hit her, simply by her appearance. Wisely, they kept their distance. Even Sally approached her tentatively, coming to a stop to wait beside her. Silence settled between the two of them for a long moment before Sally spoke.

"I'm surprised he's not here…"

She didn't say who, but she didn't have to. Une knew, taking in a deep breath, releasing it in a long sigh.

"It's not safe for him to be out in the open. He disagrees, but that doesn't surprise me. I made him promise not to do anything that might put him in danger until Kiera was home. Inside headquarters is one thing, outside…" She left the thought unfinished. There were way too many people serving under her that would not take the situation so well. "He's waiting in my office until you get her settled in." She finally managed a glance to Sally, a brow raised in question."Have you told Wufei?"

Sally visibly cringed, answering her question, having wanting to avoid it as long as possible. "That's been the last thing on my mind… He's changed so much since we've been together; I'm not sure how he'll take the news. And that's a hell of a lot scarier than him going off on one of his rages. At least, those, I can prepare a good argument for." She turned away from Une for a moment to give her staff members a few orders as the shuttle touched ground.

"They're not going to be able to avoid each other, Sally. Headquarters is NOT that big of a place. And they'll be running into each other down in the Med Center very soon. And don't give me that look; you know your husband practically becomes your shadow when the situation is as dire down there as it is now. I don't want this to be a surprise for Wufei. There's enough hostility going on with the girls down there, as it is…" Une frowned at Sally as her attention returned to her.

"I know… God, don't I know…" Sally ran a hand over her tired face. "We're getting too old for this…"

"Speak for yourself… Considering we're not even forty yet… I'd say we're just out of shape… We haven't pulled these all-nighters in years…"

Sally's brow rose and a teasing smile spread on her face. "You were in your quarters all night… and I know 'you know who' was there… It's obvious you didn't sleep, so what WERE you doing…?"

"SALLY!" Une's face turned bright red as gave the other woman a wide-eyed stare. "We were doing nothing… I think it would also be safe to say that you've been spending too much time with Maxwell… That was NOT funny…" She shot Sally a glare that would make a Yuy cringe as she started snickering.

"I think I'm more tired than I thought if you're comparing me to him… I'm sorry, that was completely out of line."The snickering stopped quickly and she immediately looked away from the glare.

_Not to mention, none of your business…_ That was what she WANTED to say, but she wouldn't give Sally another comment to be taken out of context. So she bit her tongue and dropped the topic. "So what's the status downstairs?"

"I pulled two bullets out of Zechs, one out of his right thigh, the other out of the opposite shoulder. No permanent damage, but scratch him completely from field duty until further notice and only light duty in the office once he's released. Others of his rescue team are in the same boat, but no serious injuries and thank GOD we didn't lose anyone…"

"And the Stormers?"Une frowned again, her brows furrowing with worry at Sally's moment of silence.

A grim expression crossed her face as she met Une's eyes again. "Full soldier mode. And we're not talking about the soldiers we're used to. I think these personas go far back to their original training…" Sally took in a deep breath, releasing it in a tentative sigh.

"It's got me wanting to take Marimeia to a hospital instead of taking her down to the Med Center… Things are hostile down there, but I believe it's about to get downright dangerous…"

* * *

><p>"And that's the absolute minimum dosage you can give her?" Tempest asked, her arms folded, eyes focused on Caleb as he administered the drug into Kalli's IV line.<p>

"For the inhibitors to be effective, yes. I'm still not sure how this will help…"

"We believe the intruder is attached to the psi device. If we can weaken the connection to the device, it may be easier to fight it. We can't completely block the device's effects, lest it block the intruder from us… That's why I asked you not to give her the full dose." Tempest leaned against the wall farthest from the door, her glare occasionally meeting the pilots out in the hallway, watching through the window. The glare was a clear warning, don't interfere… Things were about to get ugly…

"Even the slightest connection to her mind, though, will still give it access to her telekinesis..." Caleb frowned, disposing of the empty syringe. "I wish that we had known about her talent before the project… I would have advised against it, but Barton would have gotten his way, anyway… I'm wondering if that's why the device had such a negative effect on her, and why she reacted the way she did to the inhibitors back then…"

"A little late to be wishing and wondering… It's quite often her talent just manifested… We'll just have to see what happens." Thunder walked over to the window, pulling the blinds shut after a silent order from Tempest. She turned to look at Caleb. "How long until she wakes?"

"I couldn't tell you. It could be ten minutes or an hour. It depends on how her system is handling the drugs." He had avoided eye contact with the Stormers the entire time. He knew those eyes, well. And the memories they brought back, he would rather forget.

"Thank you, Lange…" Tempest's remark finally brought his eyes to hers. The soldier's glare slightly mixed with the civilian's, enough to offer him a little comfort. "Whatever your reasons for the sins you committed, the past is behind us."

"No one went through the war unscathed…" Thunder came to stand beside her counterpart. "And everyone made mistakes, including us. As long as we learn from them, there'll be a future for us."

"We can lock your memories of the past, but that would give you no experiences to draw on for the future. The past does not define us, what we do with the knowledge we gained does."

Caleb stood silent, his eyes going back and forth between them while he processed this information. After a moment, he gave a small smile and nodded, considering their remarks more or less forgiveness for what he had done to them. "Thank you…"

"Lock the door when you leave… We do not want interference from the pilots…" The soldier returned to Tempest's eyes as her gaze returned to the window, mentally relaying orders to those outside. After all, the Storm still outranked the pilots. The orders were met with anger and defiance, of course, but a slight mental 'nudge' silenced the protests. They'd probably have dull headaches for a few minutes, but she made her point. The Stormers needed full concentration on finding Lightning. They couldn't be bothered with the thoughts and emotions of the pilots outside.

He nodded, walking to the door. "I'll try to corral them into the waiting room down the hall." He gave Kalli a brief look as his hand rested on the doorknob, saying a silent prayer for this to work. After a moment, he opened the door, quickly locking it and shutting it as he walked into the hallway before the pilots could attempt to even look in.

Tempest and Thunder watched the door for a long moment before their eyes met each other. Their civilian personas repeated Caleb's prayer before they each took a position near the bed. Tempest stood with her back to the window into the hallway and Thunder stood on the opposite side.

"Into the rabbit hole…," Tempest muttered as she sensed Kalli's consciousness returning.

* * *

><p>Heero opened his eyes, a sudden intrusion in his thoughts having woken him. <em>I'm going to need your help…<em> His sister's mental voice held every bit of its monotonous authority, but he sensed a twinge of something else. Urgency. He tried to slide his arm out from under the sleeping seven-year-old propped against him. Aaron hadn't let him go since he came home and it turned out holding the boy would be the only way either of them could have gotten to sleep.

He looked to Aaron's other side. Relena lay there, having just watched the two of them sleep for who knows how long. She gave him a small smile as she gently brushed her fingers through the boy's hair. The smile disappeared after her eyes met Heero's. A silent request was made and she nodded, repositioning the boy so that he could remove his arm.

Heero rolled out of the bed, grabbing the uniform jacket hanging over the foot of the bed. He had just barely shrugged his shoulders into it when he felt Relena's hand on his shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, Heero… It always is…" She kept her voice quiet as to not wake their son but she gave him a small, confident smile. As the hand on her shoulder slid down his arm and grasped his hand tightly, her other hand reached up, brushing fingertips across his grizzled cheek.

He pulled the zipper of the jacket up and leaned in, lightly kissing her forehead as she gripped his hand. "That's been our problem…" Their eyes met and he sighed at the look of confusion on her face. "We've taken what we've been given for granted… We've come to expect that, whatever happens, we can make it right, and our families will always be waiting…"

He slid into a chair next to the bed to slide his boots on, continuing with his explanation as he tied the laces. "One of the things Odin taught us… was to follow our emotions… That's what brought out the need for survival in us… But there's a downside to that logic… Pride is an emotion. Arrogance is an emotion. And we've experienced both and numerous others in this peace that have interfered with our soldiers' duty."

"Heero…," Relena didn't know how to respond to that as she sank down onto the side of the bed. She worried her bottom lip as she watched him tie the knots.

He raised his eyes to meet hers again. "I've been thinking about this for a long time, now, Relena. And this mission failure pretty much sealed my decision." There was a moment of pause as he took in a deep breath. "The prime mission of the gundam pilots was to attain peace. We completed that mission. It's time for the next generation to maintain that peace. I'm tired of doing it." He stood after he finished his task, leaning over to kiss her. "After Barton is taken care of, I'm resigning."

* * *

><p>Noin knew that when she felt the walls of the Preventer's Med Center vibrate, Sally had every right to consider taking her newest patient to the hospital in town. And she was certainly glad she sent Alyssa home with Ms. Lowe and Nathan. Sally always did give good advice. The Med Center was NOT the place for a child at the moment. She traced her fingers along the wall as she walked down the hallway. The vibrations were sporadic, pulsing in not so much a rhythm, but enough space between them for the reverberation to be almost constant as it traveled down the walls.<p>

The closer she got to her destination, the stronger the pulses became and she could hear the glass in the windows rattle. She stared at the door to the room where she was sure the epicenter of these tremors was. The blinds were closed and the door was locked. She nodded a silent confirmation to herself, praying that the girls were making progress. It seemed Izreina hadn't been exaggerating about the newest development… Kalli's telekinesis…

She decided to give them their distance, Sally had said they tried to keep that particular wing emptied of personnel and patients, but there was one that was just being plain stubborn. Noin walked across the hallway and opened the door, giving it a brief knock as she entered.

"When are you going to get it through your head that doctor's orders are not recommendations…?" She closed the door and walked the short distance to the bed, folding her arms, a glare settling on its occupant. "Sally said she wanted this wing clear, except for them..." She nodded her head towards the door and the room on the opposite side of the hallway.

"I'm not going anywhere until I see Trinity come out of that room…" Zechs' glare rose to meet Noin's gaze. He sat on the side of the bed, ignoring the pains as his body protested that choice. Hell, he'd been through this before, he'll heal. His worries were elsewhere. And Noin's glare softened a bit as she nodded, sliding into a chair beside him. "And what do you think you're doing?"

"How many times am I going to have to repeat myself, Zechs? Am I going to have to tattoo it on your forehead? Just because I'm not around as much anymore doesn't mean that it's not valid. I… will… _**always**_… be… by… your… side…" Noin folded her arms, leaning back in the chair, crossing one leg over the other. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Nathan. You're my best friend, Zechs. And we're still family. I would have left L1 a week ago if I knew things were going to get this serious."

His eyes remained locked with hers as she rested a hand on his good leg. "Noin, if we knew what we were dealing with, we wouldn't be sitting here…" He sighed, letting his hand fall atop hers and his eyes drifted to the window into the hallway. They narrowed on the drawn blinds of the window across the hall.

He closed his eyes and took in a long breath as she held his hand, releasing it in another drawn out sigh. He looked at her when they opened again. "How the HELL could we have been so blind…?" There was a sudden rush of movement out in the hallway that his mind didn't quite comprehend until the glass of his window shattered as a black mass flew by, slamming into the back wall behind him with a grunt.

After a moment he figured that the black mass was a person that had just been thrown through two windows. And his eyes settled for a moment at the remaining glass in place and torn blinds of the window across the hall as one of Sally's doctor's fumbled with a set of keys to unlock the door. His mind apparently was working very slowly as it dawned on him who was in the room across the hall, and who the person most likely to have been thrown through those windows was. His breath caught and his chest tightened.

Noin had already been on her feet and across the room by the time he muddled up the courage to look. He ignored every wave of pain that ran through him, nothing else mattered except getting to her.

Noin knelt beside the Stormer and attempted to help remove her jacket, which now had hundreds of shards of glass torn through it. She knew several of them had reached through the jacket and her undershirt, cutting into the skin of her back. Bloodspots covered the back of the jacket, around the holes. But she had barely managed to get the jacket off when the Stormer, who had never taken her eyes off the room across the hall, rose to her feet just before Zechs collapsed into her.

"Trinity…" He didn't say anything further as she grasped his bad shoulder, their eyes immediately meeting. It took every ounce of strength not to cry out as her grip tightened. But his jaw clenched tighter than it ever had in order to accomplish that.

"You… get your ass back in bed…" The soldier was still apparently in control as she regarded him. Tempest didn't wait for a response as she released the grip on his shoulder and her gaze returned to the window. She took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly as Thunder limped out of the room after the doctor had the door unlocked.

_She's unconscious again…_ was the message from her counterpart and she nodded, closing her eyes. It was quite apparent what she was going to have to do in order to retrieve the lost Stormer. And it was an answer that she had been trying to avoid at all costs… Retraining…


	16. Chapter 15

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Fifteen

Heero felt worse about the situation as his sister, or rather Tempest, explained to him via telepathy what she planned to do. No one else was going to understand, especially Quatre. What she had asked him to do was simple. Keep the other pilots out. Wufei wouldn't be a problem, he wasn't even there; he's probably following Sally around waiting for an opportunity to drag the overworked doctor home for some rest. She'll need it, so he'll leave Wufei to it. Whether or not Tempest succeeded, they both would need medical attention when she was done. And with Izreina still in the Med Center, being telekinetically thrown into a wall for a second time didn't help already broken bones which they had apparently missed after the first time, Duo was watching over her. So there was another person Heero didn't have to worry about.

He leaned against the doorframe into the only hallway that led down to where Tempest had secluded herself and Kalli, his arms folded. His soldier eyes watched his brothers carefully. He was sort of surprised to see Trowa there. He'd known the other man just needed space to breathe and think when he disappeared. Trowa would eventually have figured out what he needed to do. Apparently he has, or enough to get him through the situation, because his soldier mask hadn't faltered the entire time Heero had been standing there.

Heero's eyes fell to Quatre, and for a moment, his own soldier's mask slipped while watching the blond do his best to fight tears as he wrapped his arms around himself. Quatre should NOT be here. His empathy would hinder his ability to see why Tempest's plan was the only solution to the problem. Kalli will suffer. She will go through intense physical, emotional, and psychological pain in order to recover Lightning. That's how Lightning was created in the first place. And Quatre would channel every bit of that pain.

Quatre closed his eyes as tight as he could muster, his arms squeezing tighter around himself as the pain in his chest was nearly unbearable. He'd been repeating over and over in his mind that this was necessary. But it was to the point that he had to say it aloud in order to hear it. It was a soft mutter, and the words weren't clear to anyone else in the room. He started to rock back and forth in his chair, muttering the words, trying to convince himself as their meaning disappeared behind the pain.

A scream came from down the hall, much louder than the ones that had come before. Quatre was on his feet, only to have Trowa's arms wrapped around him, forcefully holding him to keep him from turned a hard glare on Heero, questioning whether or not he was sure this was the right course of action, letting this happen. Heero's returned gaze was more of a challenge to the Heavyarms pilot, to just try to stop Tempest. She knew what she was doing.

"Let me go, Trowa!" Tears streamed down Quatre's face as he struggled against the taller man's grip. "How can you listen to this? She's your wife!"

"This isn't easy for any of us, Quatre," Heero's eyes moved to the blond pilot. "This has been the hardest decision Trinity's ever had to make."

"That's bullshit, Heero!" Quatre rarely lost his temper, even when channeling emotions. And when the curses started, he was REALLY angry. "Trinity's pissed about losing her kids and she's taking it out on Kalli!" He managed to free himself from Trowa's grasp, but it wasn't a second later before both soldiers had him pinned against the wall. Heero's hand clamped down around his throat.

"Look at me, Zero-Four," Heero's voice was ice cold, the gaze in his eyes equally chilly as he demanded Quatre's attention. Heero never pulled rank with the other pilots, unless there was a damned good reason to do so. And it had been a long time since he got violent with one of them. But Quatre had definitely crossed the line with that remark. He had a suspicion, though, that Quatre was channeling the emotions coming from the Stormers in the other room, more specifically his sister, or rather the soldier that now possessed her, and he was losing himself in those emotions. Heero had to pull Quatre out of it.

It worked. Quatre quit struggling against the two of them, his eyes wide as they met Heero's. "He-Heero…?"

Heero's voice remained cool and steady as he released his grip around Quatre's throat. "I want you to really think about what you just said. Why don't you redirect that 'Space Heart' of yours? Six years, you've known the Stormers and you STILL don't know Trinity. I know you can sense her. Close off your connection to Kal and concentrate on Trin. And tell me that what you just said is true…" Yes, Heero knew Trinity was angry, but she would punish herself long before she would take that anger out on anyone else, especially her sisters.

Quatre closed his eyes, having gained enough of his senses to do just that. His breath caught in his throat as the new flood of emotions filled him. He choked over his words as his eyes opened new tears filling them.

"She's… she's in pain… Fear, worry, guilt…" He slid down the wall as the two soldiers released him, sagging onto the floor.

"Trinity never, ever wanted to do this to her sisters again. When Romefeller ordered her to train them, the soldier personas were created to harden them, inside and out, to protect them." The ice was gone from Heero's voice as he knelt beside Quatre, wrapping a protective arm around the blond as he trembled to control himself. "Unfortunately, Trinity's training was much more violent than mine was. Mental conditioning takes a much more drastic approach the older one is… She never wanted to put her sisters through that pain again. She loves them."

Trowa walked to the other side of the waiting room for a brief moment before returning. He handed Quatre a paper cup with water in it. "Whatever has happened in Kalli's mind, her soldier is needed to combat it, but it's not responding to the rest of the Storm. Tempest has to pull that soldier back in order to fix the problem. If that means retraining her, then she will do it."

* * *

><p><em>Fear, worry, guilt…<em> Tempest was very much aware of the pilots down the hallway. It's why she posted Heero to stand guard. The moment she sensed Quatre's outburst, she allowed him to connect to Trinity's persona, if only briefly. It was imperative that Tempest remain the dominant persona during this. Any hesitation on Trinity's part would undo everything, just as it did in the past. Their training had been left incomplete, and that's what had caused all the problems with Kalli in the past. Izreina… not so much. Like her brother, she had lived the life of a street rat before her training. She had already had a secondary protective persona in place. The training just reinforced it. But Kalli… Tempest needed to make sure the training was completed this time.

The intruding soldier had control of the woman for the better part of the last hour. Occasionally, Kalli's civilian persona slipped through and Tempest had to fight to keep her own civilian buried. It killed her to knowingly hurt her sister. But it was necessary. And each time the soldier returned it came back even more pissed off and stronger. It wasn't the reaction Tempest had been hoping for.

In different circumstances, Tempest would have rather enjoyed the challenge. Yes, the soldier's access to Kalli's telekinesis was a problem in the beginning, but it found out real quick that there was a limit to how often it could be used in attacks. It was draining on her strength.

"The master's little plaything…," the soldier sneered at Tempest. "His strings are still attached, little puppet, aren't they…? You're still falling for his traps…" She staggered backwards a bit as she failed to block an attack to her midsection. "He was always quite proud of the hold he had over you… of how he could manipulate you..."

The soldier coughed as she attempted to regain her stance, her eyes narrowing on Tempest, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Of course, we had better things to do than compare notes on the 'perfect soldier'… And they were a hell of a lot more fun…" The comment had its desired effect and Tempest paused in her attack as the soldier kicked out with one leg, sweeping Tempest's legs out from under her. She landed on her back with a hard grunt as the soldier scrambled over her, pinning her to the floor, completely immobilizing her.

"Oh, I've been with this weakling a LONG time. Long enough to have served the master in whatever capacity he asked, and yes, that occasionally included physical pleasure. You see… I am the result that the project was supposed to have created. But with your training… and the background of the brunette with the beautiful eyes… Master Sarris underestimated your strength, your will to fight. Though I will admit, this little weakling and her soldier did win a few rounds early on… Enough so that the doctors suspected something…"

"So they gave her the inhibitors which eliminated the need for you…" Tempest hadn't realized before how strong the other woman was. She suspected this soldier either had a way of increasing Kalli's physical strength or simply knew exactly how to use what she had, because Tempest had a hard time finding leverage for an attack. She could hardly even move an inch.

"Hmph… Giving her soldier enough time to learn about me… Enough to cause that 'accident' that fried her device… It's taken me all these years to revive, fighting that damned soldier… Funny how all it took was the connection to that pretty little thing now in the master's control… I plan on staying this time…"

"Over my dead body…" Tempest cried out in pain as she felt several snaps down her arm, the soldier rendered it useless before releasing her hold on it to reach for a weapon Tempest hadn't seen or even thought to check her for. Damn it, how could she have missed that? She certainly should have known better. Even when Kalli's civilian persona was in control, she never went anywhere without some sort of weapon on her.

"That's the idea." The soldier snorted a laugh as she pressed the gun against Tempest's chest. "I don't know what my master has planned, but I know I'll earn some brownie points by killing you."

* * *

><p>Kiera would have screamed if she could, as the pain in her head erupted so fiercely, a wave of nausea accompanied it. Thank GOD she was lying down; otherwise she wouldn't have been able to keep herself from vomiting. This headache was far worse than the ones that had come before. She gripped the edge of her cot tightly, shutting her eyes to fight the tears.<p>

_Kiera, just breathe…_ She heard Michael's voice, thankful she had been able to maintain the connection with him through the pain. _I know it hurts. Barton was very thorough in your programming, he's made it so that any tampering will hurt you. In a few moments you're going to lose consciousness. I can't do anything else without hurting you more, so putting you to sleep will be the easiest way for us to do this quietly._

She panicked a moment, not wanting to lose the connection. But after a comforting nudge from somewhere in the back of her mind, she focused a moment on doing exactly as he said. Breathe in… breathe out… breathe in… breathe out… It didn't really help the pain as it continued ringing through her head like a freaking alarm clock that you just can't find the snooze button on. But the nausea subsided as she concentrated on breathing. And things started to appear a little fuzzy when she managed to open her eyes, reluctantly as they wanted to stay closed.

_Don't fight it, just go to sleep. Let go of me and go to sleep. I promise I'll be right there with you when you wake up. Everything will be okay._

_I'm gonna hold you to that…_ She strained in her reply to him, giving in to the heaviness of her eyelids as they drifted close. Michael had been her security blanket through the last few hours, but she trusted he would hold true to his word. She knew being able to see him and physically hold him would be a much more solid and comforting connection than this, and the sooner she gave in to the darkness, the sooner that would happen.

* * *

><p>Une sat at her desk, just staring blankly into the computer screen in front of her. She hadn't had the courage to go downstairs, not after seeing Marimeia as they brought her off the shuttle. Any hope she had of the girl recovering had almost completely shattered when she saw all of the machines connected to her. And her face was just so pale… She hadn't been able to bring herself to go back down there, not until she could gain control herself. Tears had only recently stopped, and that was only because of Treize's presence. He simply stood silently behind her, his fingers combing through her hair. And she tuned everything out, enveloping herself in the comfort he offered.<p>

She wasn't even aware that a window popped up on her computer screen, all black, save for a blinking cursor at the top, until his fingers paused and he said her name. She blinked out of her little trance as text appeared on the screen. And she nearly jumped out of her chair when she read it. Only Treize's hands settling on her shoulders kept her from doing so.

'_Everything I'm about to send you needs to go straight to Aunt Sally and Doctor Lange…'_

"Michael…!" Her voice choked only slightly, but there was most definitely relief in it as she sat straight up in her chair. The cursor blinked several times, as if waiting for a response from her. She positioned her fingers over the keyboard, hesitating for a moment before she typed.

'_Status?'_

'There are_ a lot of people under Barton that aren't happy with what he's doing, and his plans aren't just limited to revenge. I'll transmit what we've got as soon as I finish with the transfer of the psi project files. His program is a hell of a lot more detailed than what we got from Lowe six years ago.'_

Okay, she decided as a second window popped open, briefly glancing over its contents as the files came through. This kid was definitely going on the payroll when he got back.

'_Barton clearly planned out his operation, carefully. The first step was to immediately take down the ones who would cause him the most resistance. With the Storm out of the way, the gundam pilots would be emotionally compromised.'_

"And since it was a personal vendetta, we wouldn't legally be able to retaliate… And the pilots would end up destroying themselves in trying… By the time he made his attack, we wouldn't have a chance in hell of defeating him…" Une glanced up over her shoulder to Treize for a brief moment before turning her attention back to the computer screen. As soon as the first file transfer was complete, she immediately forwarded it to the Med Center.

'_I'm transmitting the coordinates to his current base. Along with the next few files, you'll have enough information for the Preventers to legally act.'_

'_In about five hours, Barton will be aware of the rebellion. We plan on being back there in two. Nika's still sedated from her abduction. I've used the program to put Kiera into a deep sleep. I can't do anything else with the program without hurting her, and I don't have time to figure out how to do so safely. I'm hoping Lange will be able to find something by the time we get there.'_

* * *

><p>The hand holding the gun on Tempest trembled and she watched the soldier tighten her jaw as she sensed the internal battle now happening with a familiar presence. Intensity in Kalli's eyes changed back and forth as one persona battled against the other. The younger woman screamed in frustration as she turned the weapon on herself. The fight with herself gave Tempest enough leverage to reverse their positions.<p>

"I am NOT losing this time!"

Even with one useless arm, she managed to wrestle the gun out of the other woman's hand, tucking it in her own empty holster before quickly immobilizing her hands so that she couldn't reach for it again. She ignored the pain that shot through her arm as she stared down at her sister.

"Lightning, report!" she ordered, her breath catching as she added a mental nudge for good measure.

The struggle underneath her ceased as the woman let out another frustrated scream. There was a flash in her eyes as she focused on Tempest. A long painful moment of silence passed before she spoke, and Tempest sighed in relief.

"Sorry, I'm late… Been a little busy… With you occupied with your own battle, and Izreina busy with Jacob, someone had to help the girl…"


	17. Chapter 16

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Sixteen

A brow rose as Tempest stared down at her counterpart, blinking a few times. "What are you talking about?" She released her hold on Lightning's hands, but she remained in her position over her. She was relieved inside, most definitely, but thoroughly confused over the other Stormer's greeting. 'Sorry I'm late'…? She gave the younger woman a VERY annoyed glare. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Get up off me and I'll tell you." She grunted her response as she gave the older woman a nudge, careful of her injured arm. "Damn it, are you gaining weight?" She was answered by a hard jab in the shoulder before Tempest rolled off of her to lean against the wall. "Ow…" Lightning pulled herself into a sitting position, wincing as her body protested with aching muscles and cracking joints. "Fuck, you didn't take it easy on the poor girl, did you?"

"Lightning…," a warning tone entered Tempest's voice as her eyes narrowed. She reached out and grabbed her counterpart by the collar of her shirt, pulling Lightning back to her. "I've tolerated a LOT from you over the years, but you're stalling. That, I won't tolerate, especially when the lives of those that our civilians hold dear are in danger…"

"I took a chance… I didn't know if it would work, but if I didn't do anything, the girl wouldn't have survived the attack made on you… She would have suffered just like the test subjects before us… She didn't have the necessary training to create a protector persona... So I gave her mine, or a part of me, at least. The brief time the four of us were linked together before you locked us out, I gave her my strength, guided her subconscious to do what she was supposed to do without hurting her." She took in a deep breath, and hacked a cough as pain erupted through her chest. She counted at least four broken ribs. After a few moments of quick short breaths and forcing her pain to subside, she looked at Tempest briefly, a look of guilt crossing her features before turning away from her gaze.

"Unfortunately, I left Kalli unguarded." Her voice was softer than was normal for the Stormers and Tempest felt compelled to release her, giving her some space as she leaned back against the wall, a brow rose in question.

"You know the other soldier?"

"You mean the Slave…" She nodded, spitting the words out. She scooted away from her counterpart a few feet, leaning back against the wall opposite from her. "When the device was activated, I was fully aware of the command program. And I knew the bastard would use Kalli for things we had never prepared to handle emotionally. I trained her mind to create another protector, to kick in when commands came through. And she'd have no knowledge of it, or what she did when it was in place. I didn't expect that persona to take on a mind of its own, as it were…"

"None of us were aware of what we did while under the program's influence..."

"I was… I don't understand how, but I was aware of each order, and the Slave's eagerness to please her master. That's why I tried to protect Kalli, so she wouldn't know what she did. But the more the Slave appeared, the less control I had over it, and the Slave started trying to take full control over Kalli's mind."

"Why did you feel this information was not necessary to share with me and Thunder?"

Lightning took in a deep breath, ignoring the pain searing through her chest. "When the doctors gave me the inhibitors, it weakened the Slave, and parts of what the Slave had done under Barton's orders began seeping into Kalli's consciousness. That's why her emotions were all over the place… I didn't want Kalli knowing any of that, and since the temporary loss of connection to the device is what weakened the Slave, I thought damaging the device would get rid of her completely. I caused the accident that fried our psi device; I didn't know it would affect Thunder just as strongly… And I didn't know terminating the device would kill us… I just wanted to get rid of the Slave before I lost Kalli for good..." She took in another breath, not quite as long, and sighed.

"It worked… And I thought the Slave was gone for good… I didn't think you or Thunder would have approved of what had happened, I thought taking care of it, myself, it would have been okay… I just… I just wanted to protect Kalli…"

"But your consciousness being transferred to Kiera left her vulnerable…" Tempest nodded, leaning her head back against the wall. "The Slave had a perfect opportunity to act without you there to fight her…" She stared at the ceiling for a long moment before her eyes turned back down to Lightning.

"What affects one Stormer, affects the rest of us. Acting on your instincts, doing what you did for Kiera, without discussing it with us was one thing. You saved her life. But we nearly lost yours in the process. You could have warned us about the Slave, so we could have prepared for something to this taught you a lesson?"

Lightning nodded, avoiding Tempest's eyes.

"Now, what's going to happen with the Slave…? I still sense her…"

"I… I don't think I can do anything permanent with her without Kalli absorbing her memories… And I'm not sure that's the best thing for Kalli right now, especially with what the Slave's done to Trowa…" She nodded before Tempest had a chance to ask the question. "I know everything that the Slave has done… I was responsible for creating her…"

"You can remain in control for now?"

"Yes… Kiera doesn't need me anymore. Michael put her in a deep sleep before he transferred Barton's full project files to Une. Between him and Lange, they'll be able to help her… I'll be able to keep the Slave contained…"

Tempest allowed Trinity's persona to come through a bit, to offer a small smile and a sigh of relief at hearing mention of her son. Good, things would be taken care of on his end. And she could concentrate on taking care of her sisters. Trinity was buried again under the soldier after a quick moment. Tempest and Thunder needed to remain in the forefront, to give Lightning something to hold on to, to keep herself grounded.

"Then…," she grunted a bit as she pulled herself up off the floor, drawing Lightning's full attention back to her. "We'll take this one hurdle at a time…" She held her good hand down towards her counterpart, effortlessly pulling the smaller woman to her feet as she grasped it. "Right now, let's get to the Med Center. I don't know about you, but I feel like shit… That bitch can give as good as she gets…"

* * *

><p>"Wow… I honestly didn't think you'd be able to do it." Leia leaned over one corner of the desk, gaping at the computer screen as Michael worked. She could tell the boy was probably a little annoyed at the remark. She wondered how many times he heard it. After five seconds of observation, she could see he damn well knew what he was doing. She took a look at her watch. Way ahead of schedule. But it wasn't time to celebrate, yet. "What are you doing now?"<p>

"It's a dummy program… You said you and your people were going to stall your bother as much as you could in order to give the Preventers time to arrive. This will help. It will mask the fact that I've been in and it will make him think he still has command over Kiera's psi device. Also, his explosives are still active, but I adjusted the timers on them. If I deactivated them, he'd know I was in here."

Michael's brow rose as he heard silence and he glanced up to see Leia exchanging glances with two of her men standing watch. "If you make any cracks about my age, I'll remind you that my uncles were my age when they started piloting the gundams…" That seemed to satisfy them, for the moment and he rolled his eyes a bit. He shook his head, relying on his inherited strengths to hide the grin as he turned back to the computer to finish his work.

"How long will Kiera be asleep?" Leia asked as she leaned against the desk, pulling herself back onto the task at hand.

"Until the program wakes her… I think… I don't know everything there is to know about those devices, but from what I DO know…, she should NOT have been able to perform as well as she did, she shouldn't even be alive... As soon as I started messing with the program, her body started fighting the device again. At first I thought it was just because Barton had a better grasp on the program and had better control over the device, but after taking a look at it, I'm not so sure that was the case. Something has been protecting her, and it was gone after I started fiddling with the program."

Leia remained silent for a moment. He knew a hell of a lot more about those damned things than she did, despite his age. She didn't understand it when her brother first told her about it, and she still didn't completely grasp the concept. The kid obviously had the expertise in the matter, but if he was concerned about the girl's health, she could at least do what she knew how to do.

"It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to send a medic with you on your trip home. A lot can happen in two hours, and if her body's rejecting the device like it did in the beginning, she likely might not survive those two hours if she happens to wake before you give the command to." She looked up to one of her two men.

"There's a full stock of medical supplies on the shuttle," the taller one said. "But any medics that could have been trustworthy aren't with us anymore…"

Michael leaned back in the chair, looking up to the man as Leia sighed heavily. The soldier didn't elaborate, but Michael knew well what he meant. Barton would have wanted to keep knowledge about this project to himself. So any help he would have recruited was probably disposed of as soon as they weren't needed anymore. And since Kiera had been reacting so well, Barton hadn't believed she was in any more danger.

"You should come," he said, turning his attention to Leia. He shook his head as she prepared an objection. "You already said he'll know you're behind our escape and he will kill you. It's advantageous to both of us, especially considering we'll be at headquarters before he even knows we're gone. We'll have someone watching over Kiera and you'll get out alive. Plus…," he paused a moment, leaning forward. "It will give you a chance to see Marimeia…"

Leia frowned, looking to the floor in a long moment of silence. "I don't belong in her life, if there's much of a life left after everything my twisted family has done to her…"

"Don't you think you should give her the option to find out herself if she doesn't want you in her life? I've known her nearly all my life. Even though she calls the Preventer commander 'Mom', she always had questions about you. And no one had the answers."

Leia took a moment or two of silence before her gaze turned to him, a small smile playing on her lips. "You're pretty smart for a kid…" She shook her head holding up a hand as he gave her an annoyed glare. "Uncles… gundam pilots… right…" She stood from her spot against the desk, giving a nod towards the door. "We've got to get moving… The guys should have your sister on the shuttle now; we just have to go get Kiera…"

* * *

><p>Quatre was up on his feet as soon as he heard the door down the hallway open. Bloodshot eyes full of concern briefly met the glances of his brothers as all three of them faced the doorway. His body relaxed with a sigh of relief and he nearly fell back into his chair as the two Stormers stumbled in, each leaning on the other for support. He opened his senses, relieved to feel that the presence which had occupied his sister was contained. He could still feel it, but it wouldn't cause any more harm. He could see the Stormer in her eyes, and Lightning carried herself a different way than she did when they first met his sister, the Stormer... So they succeeded in finding Lightning again. Now, where was Kalli?<p>

The answer came to him as their eyes met and held gazes a long moment. No words were passed, but Quatre knew that Lightning was dominating her mind at the moment, protecting her from the intruder that was locked away. She didn't elaborate, but Quatre had a distinct feeling that everything that had happened emotionally was nothing compared to what was going to be happening in the future. He practically begged Lightning for more answers, but she closed him out.

_In due time, Quat…_ She offered him a sympathetic smile as Heero took over supporting Tempest.

Heero barely glanced down to Tempest's injured arm, not daring to count how many places he could tell it was broken or fractured. His eyes lifted to meet Lightning's in one of his signature glares before Tempest gave him a slap across the back of the head, a Gibbs-slap as Duo had called it once, something off some old television show or another that the idiot was always watching. She didn't get the reference, though she'd been meaning to do the research for some time. Nonetheless, it was a move she used often, these days.

Heero turned his glare up to his sister as he rubbed the back of his head, ignoring the snicker coming from Quatre, who seemed a little more at ease. Tempest met his glare with one of her own, a silent command given and he couldn't help but obey as he left it at that and supported her as he led her down the hallway towards the Med Center.

Quatre watched for a few moments then turned back to his sister, frowning slightly as her gaze was locked with Trowa's, never a word having been spoken between them. He just sighed and nodded, understanding the request as he silently backed out of the room. He would get his answers from Kalli, or Lightning, later. He was just happy to know she was alright. He now concentrated on making sure his wife was okay.

Lightning slid into a chair as Quatre left the room, her eyes never breaking with Trowa's gaze. She prayed this was going to be short, she ached all over and the sooner she got herself patched up physically, the sooner she could get started on the mental recovery. But there wasn't a chance in hell she could get away with an 'I'll tell you later' comment. This was Trowa…

Trowa knew this soldier. This was the soldier he had fallen in love with. This WASN'T the soldier that had nearly killed him. The question remained, now, where did that soldier come from and what the hell had happened to the one he loved? But he wasn't as patient as Quatre was. He wanted answers right then and there. And Lightning knew, as he folded his arms, leaning against the doorframe, he was going to get them before he helped her downstairs. He didn't say a word, giving indication just how upset he was with her, but he didn't have to. The intensity of his eyes shot right through her. You didn't have to be a telepath to read Trowa… especially when his emotions were so strong… His eyes held everything.

"Hey, sexy…," she started with a small grin that didn't remain on her face for long. Trowa knew her, sometimes better than herself, there was always something he saw in her that she didn't. But she held her secrets from him, from them all, for Kalli's sake. And now they were all going to suffer with what she had to tell him.

She tore her gaze away from his as he remained silent. She hated his silence. She always felt like a child that had done something wrong and was awaiting the lecture and punishment from a parent. Considering the circumstances of their first meeting, it was no small wonder that he saw flaws in her reasoning for one decision or another.

She took a fortifying breath and went in to the story she had given Tempest earlier, refusing to meet his eyes. The explanation took a LOT longer than it had with Tempest. She took several hesitant pauses and stuttered through a few words. His silence did NOTHING to ease the tension. And if she even dared to attempt a look up to him, her speech faltered even further. After a while, her voice just kind of faded away and she stopped talking all together. She was a soldier, but damn it if she couldn't hold that mask in place when Trowa was around, especially when his concern was directed towards her.

She started to shake when she stopped talking, her hands fisting in her lap. The soldier was slipping, and she knew if she lost the soldier, the Slave would return. Trowa seemed to sense this as he wrapped a hand around one of her arms, gently lifting her to her feet, pulling her focus out of the memories and back to the soldier.

"I'm sorry, Trowa…," she said softly, leaning on him as he led her down the hallway. "I didn't think about the consequences of leaving Kalli unguarded…" There was a long silence as they walked, and Lightning was pretty sure she just fucked Kalli's marriage. Great, how else can she screw this up?

"It was necessary," he said after a moment. "There's a young lady that owes you her life…" He paused a moment as she finally got the courage to look at him. "But that doesn't excuse you for lying to me and Quatre…" He turned a hard glare on her as she attempted to protest. "Omission of information is the same as lying…" The rest of the trip to the Med Center was spent in silence.


	18. Chapter 17

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Seventeen

Thunder idly ran a brush through the lower half of her hair, her eyes never leaving the window, staring at Lightning in the room across the hall. She sat up on the side of the hospital bed, despite Quatre's worried glances telling her she should lie down. Thunder couldn't help her own worry for her counterpart, and she wanted to be able to keep the other Stormer in her line of sight, even though she could now clearly sense the soldier's presence and not whatever the hell was there before.

The blond Stormer was finally asleep, after another rather heavy sedative. And Thunder could sense that Lightning had things under control while Kalli's physical body recovered. After a slight mental nudge from Tempest, Thunder finally pulled her eyes away from her sister, the soldier backing off a little so that Izreina's eyes could meet with her husband's.

Izreina gave a soft chuckle and a small smile graced her lips as she heard her brother snoring in a chair in the corner. She closed her eyes a moment, shaking her head.

"Isaac…," she said softly before opening her eyes again, her smile met and returned by Quatre as he settled down on the bed next to her, sliding his arm around her waist.

"You don't call him that unless you're worried…" Quatre frowned as she laid her head against his shoulder. He rested his chin atop her head as his hand gently rubbed her backside, careful of the bandages. Since the Stormers' soldier personas had taken over, he'd had a hard time getting a reading on their emotions. The soldiers were completely in control of their mental abilities, and kept their walls re-enforced so strongly, nothing could get through, unless they wished it to. Thank goodness he knew his wife well enough to understand the other signs.

Izreina's smile faded as her gaze turned to the woman across the hallway again. She didn't answer his unspoken question right away. She let a long moment of silence pass as she mentally prodded her older friend for advice. She closed her eyes and nodded, pulling away from Quatre. Her eyes opened to meet his. She frowned as he slid his hand through her hair.

"I know you weren't in there with the two of them. But you know what happened. Lightning won't give me any information. And Trowa won't tell me what she told him. What's wrong with Kalli?"

She took in a quick fortifying breath, not too deep; she DID have a few broken ribs that ached with each breath. She gave a quick glance over to her sleeping brother. Poor Duo had been keeping a constant watch over her since he'd flown in. He needed the rest, but she didn't want to have to repeat this story.

"I'm sure someone will inform him later," Quatre said softly, catching her chin, forcing her gaze to return to him. "Tell me, Izreina…"

She nodded as she took his hand away from her chin, holding it tightly for a moment before quickly releasing it. Somehow sensing her hesitance, Thunder briefly took over the explanation. Her soldier's eyes focused on Quatre as Thunder told him everything she had observed a few moments before. There were a few gaps in the story, as she had drifted in and out of consciousness several times during the session. But she hoped she relayed enough information for Quatre to truly understand what had happened.

Apparently she did. Quatre had listened with patience, striving very hard to keep his emotions in check, though anger and hatred for the man responsible for creating the Storm threatened to take him over. He closed his eyes a moment as he felt Thunder attempting to help him calm himself.

"Quatre…" He heard his wife's soft voice as he opened his eyes, doing his best to hold back the tears.

"I'm just as angry… Lightning kept this information from all of us, and she's grieving enough for it... Kalli will need all our support to get through this… We need to keep our own emotions in check for her…"

He gave a small nod, taking his wife's hand, giving it a small squeeze. When he finally met her eyes again, Thunder had returned to her eyes.

"Believe me, Winner… Our next attack on Barton will be the last… We won't make the same mistake we did six years ago… He will pay for what he's done to all of us…"

* * *

><p>Une stood in the doorway. She'd gained the courage to come down this far, but standing here now, she didn't know if she had enough to go on into Marimeia's room. The report that Sally had recently given her hadn't contained good news. It was basically a repeat of the information Dr. Gains had given Noin. Une had been hoping for more. She hadn't truly realized until she saw her when she was brought off the shuttle just how much this girl meant to her. And it wasn't because she was Treize's daughter, though that was no small part. It was weird the first time Marimeia called her 'Mom', but she eventually accepted that, because after a while, the girl didn't call her anything else. She loved Marimeia, and she hated seeing her like this.<p>

She seriously considered turning around and going back to her office, but Treize's hand resting in the small of her back prevented any movement backwards. Her breath caught as she attempted, only to feel him gently nudge her forward.

"I seem," he started softly, "to recall a similar situation. Just before the final battle of Earth against Space. Only I was standing in the doorway alone, and the young woman I went to the hospital to see was you. For days I was afraid to go, to see the frailty of a woman that I believed was near invincible. You were just as pale, but still beautiful, peaceful. I always had you to confide in, and even if you couldn't hear me, talking to you helped me empty my mind, helped me to concentrate on what needed to be done."

She felt a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she closed her eyes. "I heard you…," she replied softly. "I could even smell the roses you brought… I knew my job wasn't done yet. I wasn't going to allow you to go into that final battle without me beside you, or at least behind you."

"I hear you caused quite the uproar when you stole the zero-one gundam to join us." He gave a soft smile as he felt her relax under him as his hand slid up her back to give her shoulder a gently squeeze.

She chuckled softly as her eyes opened, looking at the girl in the bed inside the room. "It was the only suit I knew would make it up there in time… And I didn't steal it… It didn't belong to us, to begin with. I just thought I might return it to space where it belonged."

"It's a good thing you did… otherwise I wouldn't have had my chance at justice…"

Une closed her eyes again as she heard Wufei's voice a few feet away. It was… unnervingly calm. She completely understood Sally's hesitation about telling him about Treize. Une truly wondered if the tone of his voice was the proverbial calm before the storm… What else could freaking happen down here? The Med Center seemed to be where all the action at headquarters was happening, these days. Une had no doubt that Sally would be asking to completely remodel the damned center after all of the damage that had been done over the last few days.

She kept her emotions in check as she opened her eyes, glancing to Wufei. The calm in his dark eyes wasn't nearly as unnerving. It was, in fact, the opposite, even though they were locked in a gaze with Treize's. She didn't feel she had to worry about violence between them, at least not here, not now.

She felt Treize give her shoulder another squeeze before gently nudging her into the room. Then his hand was gone from her shoulder and by the time she turned to face him, he had closed the door behind her. She shot one more glare towards him and Wufei, both, before walking over to Marimeia's bedside.

Wufei and Treize were silent for a long while as their gazes remained locked with one another. After what seemed like an eternity, Wufei slipped his hands in his pockets.

"Well…," he paused for a moment, eyes scanning, studying the older man from head to toe. "I just wanted to see if the rumors running around HQ were valid… You're looking remarkably lively, for a ghost…"

* * *

><p>Tempest stood on the balcony just outside of Zechs' office. Her broken arm had been set and splintered and now sat in a sling so her good arm supported her weight as she leaned over the railing. An unlit cigarette rested between her lips as she looked out towards the airfield. There was still an hour of Michael's ETA to wait, but she found she couldn't just rest, not when she needed her focus to maintain Tempest's persona until Lightning felt Kalli was ready to dispose of the Slave. She preferred to be spending her time going over the other information Michael had sent to the Lady, but Sally had all three of them on strict orders until she and Caleb could go over the psi project files. Not that standing outside getting ready to light a cigarette was obeying those orders, especially since she had quit smoking six years prior. But anyone that had ever been addicted to that habit will tell you that sometimes it's easier to give into the cravings again, no matter how much time you've been without. And Tempest was under enough stress at the moment to take the easy path…<p>

She heard the glass door behind her slide open as she stood. She reached into her jacket pocket, giving a small smile as she heard Zechs' soft cursing at trying to maneuver over the threshold with a crutch under one arm and the other in a sling. She pulled her lighter out of the pocket and lit the end of the cigarette, taking a long drag as she dropped the lighter back in her pocket. She withdrew the cigarette from her lips, exhaling as she turned to face Zechs, who had finally made it out onto the balcony, sliding the door shut behind him.

His eyes narrowed on the cigarette in her hand as she brought it to her lips again before they met with her eyes. He remained silent as she let the cigarette rest between her lips, reaching into the inside pocket of her jacket. His brow rose as she pulled out a metal flask, presenting it to him.

"I figured a couple of cripples deserve to give in to our vices just once… All things considered…"

He didn't deny her reasoning. Truth be told, that was exactly what he had gone in search of when he saw her standing out here. He nodded as he took the flask from her, leaning against the railing, taking a little weight off his bad leg.

"I thought you'd be hounding Une about the information from Barton's computer that Michael sent…" He opened the flask and took a small swig of the dark liquid, his eyes never leaving hers. He had hoped this conversation would have been with Trinity, but from what he understood about the situation with the Storm, Trinity was going to remain in the background for a while. But he knew Tempest was allowing a brief connection to her every now and then, because she kept turning her gaze towards the airfield, impatiently waiting, and a brief glimpse of worry flashing in the soldier's eyes. He didn't blame her. He was worried, himself. He would be until he saw those kids safely on the ground.

She gave another glance towards the airfield. They would be okay, Lightning had given them a brief overview of what was going on while she was with Kiera. She had faith in her partner, Lightning wouldn't have left Kiera unless things were proceeding as planned. But it didn't stop the mother from worrying about the children.

"I don't feel like spending the night in a detention cell." She took another drag from the cigarette as she leaned against the railing. "Sally was pretty pissed…"

Zechs couldn't help but chuckle, though it was strained. "Well… she HAS started naming her migraines after the three of you…" He took another drink from the flask, following her gaze as it returned to the airfield. He wished, for just a moment, Tempest would allow Trinity in the foreground for more than a second.

"What did you do with Casey and Lucas?" Her brow rose. With everything else, she'd forgotten about Michael's two friends. The boys had been dragged into the thick of things, and then pretty much abandoned when everything else was shot to hell.

"Still at the manor with their parents. Just in case. Since Relena's back, security has automatically been doubled. And JoAnn's been banned from the kitchen…" He finished off the drink that had been in the flask and closed it, slipping it into his jacket pocket. "Drawing too much attention, she's caught the stove on fire twice…"

Tempest snorted out a single chuckle as she took another drag from the cigarette. "It's a glass top stove… Maybe Trinity has given the woman too much credit…"

Zechs didn't comment. He couldn't remember how to talk with Trinity's soldier. He'd gotten so used to her civilian side that the soldier was just a memory. And it was one that had always thoroughly confused him.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment before he felt her head against his shoulder. He gave a small smile as she tossed the cigarette over the side of the railing, wrapping her good arm around his waist. She allowed Trinity to come through. And he sighed, resting his chin atop her head as his arm draped around her shoulder. He didn't know how long Tempest would allow Trinity to dominate, but he'll take what he can get.

"Autumn will be here soon," he said softly, his eyes drifting down to her. He felt her nod, humming an affirmative response. It was her favorite season, he knew. She practically lived outdoors during those few months. He couldn't really blame her. She'd spent a majority of her life cramped in small spaces, prison cells, mobile suit cockpits, even the Stormers' office/apartment at headquarters was small for three people. She loved being outdoors, and she loved the weather and the colors that autumn brought to the manor.

"I've been thinking about something I'd like to see out in the courtyard this year…"

She arched a brow as she lifted her head, meeting his eyes. "We are NOT lining the paths with jack-o-lanterns…" She gave him a small smile as he chuckled, shaking his head. That had been an ongoing argument every Halloween since she and her children moved in with him.

"One day I'm going to win that argument… but that's not what I was thinking…"

"Do tell…" She thought it was a little early in the year for that particular argument. And he certainly didn't enjoy the season as much as she did. So she was more than a little curious as to why he'd bring it up.

"The warm colors you love so much…" He paused a moment, smiling down to her. "I think they'd make a perfect backdrop…"

Her gaze narrowed, somewhat warily at him. "For…?"

He deliberately paused again, allowing his hand to brush the bangs away from her face. "A wedding… I think we've waited long enough…"

It took a few moments for it to sink in. With everything that's happened, her brain was working just a little slower than normal. She took a step away, looking at him like he was crazy for a moment.

"I'd do this properly, but if I got down on one knee, I don't think I'd get back up…" He stifled a chuckle as realization spread across her face.

"Well, it's a good thing we're not big on tradition…" She gave a soft laugh and stepped into him as his arm slid around her waist. Their lips met in a kiss that the taste of neither alcohol nor cigarettes could weaken.

But it didn't last long. Zechs could tell that Tempest had returned to the forefront as her body stiffened in his embrace, and he frowned when she pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said, her soldier's eyes relaying the apology. "Lightning needs me to stay for a while…" She offered him a hint of a smile as she walked to the door, sliding it open. "But good move, General. It's about damn time…" She stood in the doorway for a long moment before turning to him.

"After this is over… there'll be no need for us anymore. We've gotten too old for this; we're too out of practice. It's time for the next generation to take over. And Kalli will need her sisters more than ever, not the soldiers. The Storm's time is over. I won't be interfering any further in Trinity's life with you, and I wish you the best. You certainly deserve it." The hint turned into a full, but still small, smile as she saluted. When he returned the salute, she turned on her heels and walked through the office, never looking back as she closed his office door behind her.


	19. Chapter 18

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Eighteen

Tempest leaned against the wall in Thunder's room, her eyes drifting occasionally to the room of her other counterpart. Lightning would be sleeping for a long while, and Thunder seemed to be recovering from her injuries rather quickly. Duo was still passed out in a chair in the corner and Quatre had slipped across the hallway to his sister's room to have a quiet conversation with Trowa. Tempest met his eyes every time she looked that way and the look within them was emphasized by the emotions he was directing towards her. There was still a small amount of hostility towards her for what she had done to his sister, but it had been clear to him just how much the younger woman meant to her, the soldier included.

The waiting was torture. Even Trinity's soldier was anxious to have her children on the ground, safe and sound. The presence of the others helped to pass the time. Trinity would have preferred to have stayed upstairs with Zechs, but with Tempest having to remain in the forefront of her mind, that would just be awkward. Her counterparts were the only ones she felt comfortable around in this state, aside from Heero, but he was busy in Une's office, forming a plan of action.

Tempest shook her head as she watched Duo. At least he wasn't snoring anymore. "Maxwell has been sleeping a lot since he got in…" Her brow rose as she glanced accusingly back to Thunder, sitting on the edge of the bed.

The younger woman shrugged her shoulders with a small grin. "I know he means well. He's been very protective of his sister after everything that happened six years ago. But he's annoying as hell. The other pilots are saints for putting up with it. I can rest better by transferring most of my exhaustion to him. He needs the sleep, anyway. He wouldn't admit jet lag had gotten to him."

Tempest gave her sister a small rare grin and shook her head again. "I hope you got Izreina's permission before messing with her brother's mind…"

"Well…" Her reluctance to answer the question was all the response Tempest needed and she frowned at her counterpart as Thunder gave her a small smile and attempted to change the topic of conversation. "It was about damned time Zechs popped the question…"

Tempest snorted a laugh as she slid into a chair next to the door. Izreina would deal with Thunder later, so she'd humor her counterpart for now. "Trinity wasn't prepared for it at all." She crossed one leg over the other, as what little smile she held fell quite quickly. "I'm not sure she's entirely open to the idea, though she didn't hesitate to say yes. There was a reason they hadn't tied the knot by now. There was never any guarantee either of them would return from one mission or another. Emotions would be in enough turmoil without adding all the legal bullshit…"

Thunder's smile fell as her head tilted to one side. "But… that's not going to be a problem in the future. We're done with. Zechs will probably be happy to spend the rest of his career behind a desk, as will Trinity. We've been turning out field agents competent enough to take our places, and the gundams just aren't needed anymore. We've done what we set out to do, save for this one pain in the ass. And he's not going to be a problem soon; his own people are tired of his shit…"

Tempest nodded, giving a glance through the window, again meeting Quatre's eyes in the room across the hall. "That's something I'm worried about. Barton doesn't let people that close unless he's sure of their loyalty. These guys wouldn't have lost that loyalty easily, not without good reason." Her eyes left Quatre's momentarily to settle on her counterpart sleeping next to him. "Or maybe a little mental tampering…"

"I don't think Lightning would stoop to that level…," Thunder followed her gaze. "Not unless there were already doubts in their minds. She would only have given them the courage to act on it."

"Maybe…," Tempest said softly, nodding. "Though Lightning has been pretty bold lately. I wouldn't put anything past her…"

"But I don't think she would have left if situation could possibly turn bad. She would have needed to stay with Kiera to keep things under control. She wouldn't have left if she didn't think the kids were in safe hands." Thunder looked back to Tempest, a brow rose."Right?"

Tempest nodded again. "She could have … she knew she left Kalli unguarded… I just… don't feel comfortable about it all." She looked up at the clock on the wall, still half an hour to go. "It seems too easy…" No sooner was it said than she and Thunder felt the alarms in the back of their minds.

The sensation was so strong, even Duo sensed the tension in the room and he was awake and on his feet just as the Stormers met their counterpart in the hallway. The three women never said a word to the gundam pilots as they fell into step with one another, collectively making their way towards the elevators. Duo exchanged a look with Quatre and Trowa, trying hard not to ask where they were going, because he already knew the answer: Commander Une's office. They didn't need to say anything between them as they followed.

They didn't get far. At the end of the hallway, Sally was blocking their path, her arms folded, a hardened glare that could actually compete with the perfect soldiers' passing between the three Stormers.

"I've been more than patient so far," she said, her voice remaining eerily calm despite the anger in her eyes. "But I'm putting my foot down. Whatever is happening, the guys can handle it," she said as she looked pointedly between Quatre, Trowa, and Duo. "Lightning and Thunder, back to bed… Tempest, my office… NOW!" She didn't wait for a reply before she stormed past them.

* * *

><p>Michael had barely made it to his seat next to his sister when the shuttle was rocked by the impact of a second shot fired towards them. At that same instance, Nika shot straight up in her seat, screaming. The moment he had his seatbelt fastened, his arms were around her.<p>

"Michael!" She breathed out as she attempted to get her bearings while gasping for air. She felt like she was going to vomit and she leaned into him for support.

"You're okay, Nika. You're safe." His hand ran through her hair as she grabbed his shirt tightly with both hands. _For how long, depends on what the hell is going on out there!_ He looked over her head out the window.

Leia pretty much fell into the cabin, thanks to the impact, after checking in with the pilot to find out what was going on. "They're both strapped in, right?" He nodded as she picked herself up off the floor while he adjusted his own seatbelt. "They're trying to disable us… to keep us from entering the atmosphere."

Michael's eyes never left her as she checked Kiera's vital signs and Nika clung to him even tighter as another shot rocked the shuttle. Leia finally settled into a seat of her own and fastened herself in before looking over to him.

"They're trying to lure the gundams out," he said. "I know what he's thinking… The pilots are emotionally compromised; they'll fall in a matter of minutes if they don't destroy each other…" He snorted what could have been taken as a small laugh, but his face never betrayed any emotion, remaining as impassive as his family's soldier personas. "He really doesn't know them at all…"

He frowned slightly, though, as he continued. "The problem is that they're all out of commission at the moment. Mom and Uncle Heero have been working with Howard to do complete overhauls on them. Even IF they completed them, there hasn't been enough time to test the upgrades or for the pilots to make their own adjustments." He loosened his embrace around his sister, just slightly. His grip wanted to tighten, hands wanted to clench into fists, but that would have hurt her. He sighed as she mumbled something into his chest, giving a small grim smile. "You're right… They're all just reckless enough to go blindly into battle. If the gundams' computers reject the upgrades that could be a fatal mistake, but… they always manage to achieve the impossible."

Leia gave a small nod. "I suppose that's why Father and Sarris have always failed. They always believed if they had a large enough force, resistance was impossible."

"Numbers don't always mean strength," Michael replied, looking back out the window just as the lights flickered overhead after another hit. "Those look like just mobile dolls outside… If I can get control over their programming I can buy the pilots some time…" Nika held on to Michael even tighter as one more hit shook the shuttle, the lights flickering again. "… If we don't lose power first…"

* * *

><p>Sally couldn't say she was surprised that they actually obeyed. They knew her well enough, by now, that when she was really pissed, no matter what kind of extraordinary power they held, Sally wasn't a forced to be reckoned with.<p>

Her eyes remained on the doors to the rooms assigned to the younger Stormers until they were shut behind the women. Then her attention turned to Tempest as she closed her own office door.

"I want to talk to Trinity, but don't go too far, Tempest, you need to hear this too." She folded her arms and leaned against her office door, making sure to keep the hallway within her peripheral so she could keep an eye out in case the other Stormers tried to sneak out. A long moment passed before she saw the change in the woman's eyes as she shifted from soldier to civilian.

Trinity frowned as soon as she recognized the fire in Sally's eyes die, replaced by worry.

"Trin, I realize the three of you hate being down here, but there's only so much your bodies can take. Thunder has reached Izreina's limit. She's been getting by channeling her exhaustion to Duo, which is dangerous for Duo, but since he's been sleeping it off, I'm not too worried about it affecting him. But she still just can't continue to do that, Izreina needs to rest, or her organs will break down." Sally sighed as she walked around her desk, falling into her chair. She rubbed her tired eyes as she leaned back. She shot a look towards Trinity, informing her she wasn't done yet.

"Kalli is another story…I know Lightning has a hand on things now, but her mental problems are only a small part of what's going on with her…" Sally leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Kalli's pregnant. I've only just found out. With all of the drugs that have been pushed into her in the last few days, I'm not sure how what the effect will be on the baby. I'm not entirely sure how far along she is, maybe the drugs have already affected it. I don't know, and that little session with Tempest wasn't making things any better, but she is absolutely, positively, NOT leaving here until I have answers, and I'm satisfied that neither of them are in danger…"

Trinity had been expecting an ass chewing, but she hadn't been expecting this kind of news. She slowly slid into a seated position on the floor next to the door. Her shock was clearly visible for only a moment before a knot settled in the pit of her stomach. She crossed her legs underneath her and ran a hand through her hair before laying her head back against the door. How much more could she screw up? She knew of several blows that she, or rather Tempest, had dealt to the younger woman's abdomen. Had she known, she would have reconsidered. And it fucking turned out that the 'session' wasn't even needed! Lightning hadn't answered the Storm's 'call' because Lightning hadn't been there!

_We should have been able to detect something like this…_ She sighed as her eyes closed, slamming her good fist against the door.

_We wouldn't have been able to sense it until its brain began to develop. And Kalli didn't suspect anything, so there was no other way we could have detected it._ Lightning was blunt, though her voice was strained. The guilt that she had felt about leaving Kalli unprotected in the first place had just doubled, because she now knew it hadn't only been Kalli she left. _Damn it!_

There was a long moment of pause before the third Stormer's voice came, Thunder letting her civilian persona through. Her exhaustion was quite clear in the weakness of the mental voice. _We'll get through this. I'm sure Kalli and the baby will be fine. Lightning would sense if something was wrong, even this early. Let the guys handle Barton… we need to take care of each other. Lightning will remain in control until things settle down, so Kalli has ALL of her family to rely on for moral support. Trinity, I don't think Tempest and Thunder are needed at the moment, Lightning has a good hold on this. Without Duo here, I'm about ready to pass out, and I sense you are too. You haven't had a good night's sleep since this whole mess began._

Sally had been sitting quietly, her head in her hands. The Stormers had been kind enough to include her in their mental conversation. And even though their little family had been accustomed to the occasional intrusion, only Michael was capable of responding in the same manner. The only thing was it always gave Sally a headache.

"Neither one of you are going to be in any shape to help Kalli get through this emotionally if you don't rest. Not to mention Kiera is going to need help since Lightning was the only reason she made it THIS far? Or did you forget her?" She waved off any answer as she stood, walking over to a medicine cabinet. "Bottom line is… get your ass to bed, Trin. And as soon as I get up to the boss's office, I'm telling Zechs the same damned thing." She opened the cabinet and looked over a few pill bottles before taking one from the cabinet. She tossed it to Trinity as she managed to get up off the floor. "Take two and DON'T call me in the morning… Lange's going to be in charge tonight… especially with Kiera coming in… I don't want any more bullheadedness on the Storm's part. You're all in MY department's care now, and damn it, you're all going to do what you're told!" She stormed over to the door and threw it open just as Trinity stepped away from it. Before Trinity could say one word to Sally, the annoyed doctor almost literally shoved her out the door, slamming it behind her.

Trinity stood in the hallway for a long moment, staring at the bottle in her hand. Maybe things will be clearer after some uninterrupted sleep. She'd have a better grasp on the situation and be better capable of finding out what to do about it. Right? She walked down the hallway, stopping just past the two doorways into the rooms of her counterparts as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't look at the Lightning. She turned her attention to the opposite room where Izreina/Thunder had literally passed out in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position. She pulled away from Lightning and entered the room, moving towards the bed to try to move the woman into a more comfortable position.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about, Trinity," Lightning's voice was just as shaky as her mental voice had been. "It's my fault Kalli is in this position. I shouldn't have left her. I…"

"Mistakes happen…," Trinity said softly as she pulled Izreina's legs onto the bed, which was a feat with only one good arm. She finally braved a glance to the soldier and simply nodded towards the chair she had previously occupied a few moments before. "And sometimes there are reasons they happen…" Her eyes fell again as she pulled a blanket over their sister. She was quiet for a long moment as she sat on the side of the bed, idly running a hand through their sister's long hair, combing the frazzled braid out. "Do you remember the soldier I was when we first met?"

Lightning frowned as she sat, studying the woman. "The only soldier I knew was closer to what became Tempest. Though, I've seen Kalli's memories of someone… much different... cold… dead… almost machine-like…"

Trinity nodded as she set to work on re-braiding Izreina's hair, remaining silent for a few moments. "I was the exact soldier that… my father… wanted. The training was so complete that I, Trinity, was lost. The perfect soldier was in full control, not even a shred of humanity remained. I don't remember many of the things I did while that soldier existed and what I do remember, feels like just a dream. I don't even remember the order to train Izreina and Kalli, I just remember suddenly… 'waking up'… while watching the two of them comfort one another after an apparently brutal session…" She wrapped a rubber band around the tail of the completed braid, letting it rest on the bed beside her.

"It took several months for that soldier to turn in to the one you remember. During that time, there were periods of days, even weeks that I blacked out… that the soldier was in control. And I fought for every bit of time that I had…" She lifted her eyes to Lightning again. "After several moments, I finally won over the soldier, or rather the soldier that became Tempest won over. And that soldier never resurfaced…"

"But it never disappeared, either…," Lightning added quietly. The situation was the same as Kalli's Slave persona. And if that persona had returned, then Trinity's first soldier could… Lightning's eyes narrowed on the older woman as she nodded.

"You might have made a mistake in leaving… but if you hadn't returned when you did, that soldier would have come back, and there'd be no getting rid of her, this time…"


	20. Chapter 19

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Nineteen

"They'll be fine…" Heero didn't even look up from his laptop as Quatre tentatively approached Wing Zero. There was a long moment of silence, only the sound of typing echoed through the hanger as all the pilots worked in silence. Heero's typing stopped and he had to fight himself from releasing a rather irritated sigh. His eyes lifted to meet Quatre's and a brow quirked at the puzzled expression. He leaned back in the seat, a hand resting on the lid of the laptop, but didn't yet shut it.

"I'm… sorry for my behavior earlier, Heero…" He paused, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his face twisting and contorting as if trying to search for the proper way to word his thoughts.

"Understandable…," Heero said as he took a quick glance to his watch. There was still time… But he hoped Quatre would get on with it. The blond never had trouble voicing his thoughts, which caused Heero to be slightly alarmed for a moment, but he had to remember what was going on, who was involved, and what they were capable of. And he frowned, his alarm rising even further as he studied the Sandrock pilot.

"You sensed another presence when Trinity allowed you in…," he stated as he slammed the lid to the laptop shut, muttering a silent curse as Quatre nodded.

"It was extremely powerful at first, but then it sort of faded when Lightning returned to Kalli. I mean, I can still feel it in the background, so it didn't disappear, but it's not as strong as it was." Quatre had a feeling he didn't want to know what it was, if Heero's hardened glare and clenching fists were any indication. But it was apparently something to be worried about. Because when Heero had slammed the lid to the laptop shut, he heard the undeniable snap of the breaking of hard plastic. And Heero hadn't even given his precious laptop a second glance, his eyes focusing a moment on something seemingly in the distance.

"That was Trinity's first soldier…" To the untrained ear, his voice was soft, dangerously calm, but those closest to Heero would sense the slight tremor in it, giving emotion to the normal monotonous tone. "The soldier that Lowe created… She's exactly the soldier that he wanted… She's dangerous enough on her own, but if she gets access to Trinity's telepathy…" His thought was left unsaid as his eyes met back with Quatre's.

Quatre didn't say anything as he took a step back. He just nodded in agreement. He didn't know the soldier Heero referred to, but had heard about it. And he knew the tone of Heero's voice. It wasn't something heard often, but when it was there, it was something to worry about. There was another moment of silence as memories played through his mind of a previous conversation with his wife and sister concerning their abilities, and ways they could be used to hurt or kill others. And realization dawned on him. If a mindless soldier that was trained to obey orders without question, without remorse, had access to those abilities… Anyone that opposed them or their master would be dead before they even had a chance to make a move.

"And that's exactly what he's going for…," Heero growled as he stood, dropping the laptop into the seat behind him. "He's trying to force Trinity's original soldier to surface…"

Quatre had to take a few more steps back as Heero exited the cockpit. "So everything that's happened up to now…?"

"Has happened exactly how he planned it… Including Michael's 'escape'…" Heero met Quatre's eyes again. "Get out there with the others and bring those kids home… I'm the only one that will know how to deal with the soldier should Trin and Tempest fail to contain it."

* * *

><p>A silent scream ran through the cockpit and both pilots grabbed their heads, writhing in pain. Even though Michael was used so such mental intrusions, he still felt a stinging pain and he nearly bit his lip his teeth clenched so tightly. He slammed a fist on the consul. Damn it, this had been so easy moments earlier. But it was quite obvious that was a set up.<p>

"Just do your best to keep us together," he said to the pilots as he ducked back into the cabin. A 'damn it' was added as he saw Leia in one corner, cradling her head. Nika was sitting beside Kiera, trying to get her attention, doing her best to keep the pain from overwhelming herself. He tapped Nika on the shoulder and nodded towards Leia.

"We've been set up. Try to teach Leia to make the walls. We'll need Kiera sedated if I can't get through to her." Nika didn't argue. Michael took her place next to Kiera, taking both her hands in his. Immediately, her eyes darted over to him, but took a moment to focus. It wasn't often that Michael was afraid. But seeing the fear in her eyes coupled with the intense pain she was projecting had him scared for her life. What he already knew about the Psi Project from experience with his mother was enough to frighten him. But what his father had said that Caleb Lange had told them… He had to work hard to mask his fear as she finally focused on him.

"Listen to me, Kiera," he said softly, stroking her hair with one hand as the other held hers tightly. "I want you to concentrate on me, only me… Picture _our_ classroom… _our_ rainy day… We're the only ones here… Everyone else is miles away… and the walls are so thick we can't even hear the rain falling…"

His tone remained soft and steady, his low register soothing her as she closed her eyes, attempting to do exactly as he asked. She had trouble finding the memory of _their_ room, the room at school that they met nearly every afternoon. Her memories were mixed with those belonging to someone else. She was sure that they belonged to someone else because she didn't recognize anything in them, except for a few images of someone that looked like Michael's mother.

"You've been occupied by a Stormer…," he said as she projected the images into his own mind. "You shouldn't have been able to deal the device without help… Was it Lightning?" He wasn't sure if she knew, but it would definitely explain his Aunt Kalli's behavior over the last few days. He continued stroking her hair as her hands began to tremble in his grip. "It's okay… She was helping you, and I'm sure there's a reason she's not there, now. But you're not alone. Remember, I'm here, we're in our room, just the two of us… Peace and quiet…"

_I'm scared_… Her mental voice was strained, much weaker than it had been earlier, confirming that Kiera no longer had help.

"I know, but you've still got help. I can't do what a Stormer can, but just do what I tell you, and you'll be okay until we can get to them… I won't let this hurt you, anymore… And neither can you, okay? Just keep your concentration on the two of us, no one else…" He gave her a small smile as he felt her relax a little. "Besides, you promised to be my date to junior prom next year… and I'm holding you to it…"

That earned him a small smile as she pulled a hand out of his grip and slapped him on the arm, or attempted to. She missed the first shot, just lightly brushing his arm with her fingertips. Her brows knitted together in mock frustration as she tried again, only for Michael to catch her hand.

"There's my girl…," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. He had to be very careful about he explained things. The slightest alarm could trigger everything all over again. He needed to stress that she listen to him. If he had to explain things as if he were talking to a six-year-old, he would.

"Now… I need you to do everything I tell you to, okay? We can't stay in our room for very long. We need your help, okay? I can't promise it won't hurt, but the pain will be easier to deal with."

Her frustration turned to worry as she gripped his hand tightly. Even though her nod was tentative, she trusted Michael. And, now knowing his connection with the Stormers, she knew he was experienced with what was happening to her. She focused solely on him, letting everything else going through her mind just disappear. And, not surprisingly, he had been right. The pain had been easing ever since he drew her attention to him. She still felt it, but it was tolerable.

* * *

><p>Storm Haven… It was still maintained as their home away from home, but since they all worked out of their respective homes, it had been ages since any of them were down here. The corridor seemed longer than it used to. Either that, or she was just walking slower, which was probably the case. There had been an ongoing argument with herself, or rather an argument between soldier and civilian, ever since she had left the Med Center.<p>

_Trinity, I will say it again. This is not a good idea. There is too much unknown about it._

Trinity took her arm out of the sling. She planned on cutting the cast off when she got there. Sally could chew her out later, but she needed both hands to do her work. Conversations like this, with one persona versus another, were never so noticeable, but they happened often. She just had her sisters to sort of balance things. It was just her and her soldier, this time. It was odd, to say the least.

"We are out of options, Tempest. I can feel it getting stronger. And with as much as Kalli and Lightning have been put through the last few days, they'll lose to the Slave, also. Izreina and Thunder won't be strong enough to protect the others if we lose. If all of this happens, Sarris will have all the proof he needs that his project works and he knocks his only resistance down at the same time."

_You think I don't know that?_ _There was a reason we didn't complete that program, Trin…_

"I know what we did wrong. There were a couple of variables we didn't factor in." She stopped at the door. She stared at the keypad lock for a long moment before punching in the code that hadn't been used in years. She just hoped it still worked. Neither Trinity nor Tempest were in any shape to attempt to hack that particular lock.

Thank whatever deity was watching, it actually worked. _"Welcome back, Tempest,"_ was the reply from the computer as the door opened. She walked into the old office as all the lights came on and the computers automatically booted.

_We didn't make allowances for your and Kalli's third personas…_ There was realization in Tempest's reply.

Trinity nodded as she pulled her chair away from her desk. "That, along with the information that Michael sent, should give us what we need to finish the program. And if it does what we hope it will… not only will we be free of the undesirables, but these damned devices should detach automatically from the brain and Sally will be able to remove them without problem."

She dropped into her chair, digging through her desk drawer, looking for something to cut the damned cast off.

_That's why you're so determined…_

"If we can get rid of these damned things, we can make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else. If Sarris wins, he's going after Michael, Casey, Lucas… and who knows how many others. Michael will know how to handle it, that's why I'm not worried about Kiera at the moment. As long as he's with her, she's fine." She finally found the tool she was looking for and set to work, breaking apart the cast.

_The only reason we survived and kept our sanity, well, what remains of our sanity, was because of your training._

"If you remember, I still had a portion of my original soldier when Sarris began the program." She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out as she ripped away chunks of the cast. Damn, it hurt more than she thought it would. "He knew there was something he should have had access to. He knows that I'll do anything to complete a mission, even if that means completely recovering the soldier. He knows that's what he's dragging out. There's little doubt he has the means to control that soldier once it's unleashed."

There was silence from Tempest, which she was grateful for, for a moment as she leaned back in her chair, taking a moment to compose herself as the last parts of the cast fell to the floor.

_You've put a lot of thought into this… Do you really think it'll work?_

"It's not whether or not I think it will work… We're beyond thinking. It's the time for making it happen. Because, we don't have any more time to think. The soldier is getting stronger." Trinity stared at her computer screen for several more moments before she leaned forward and got to work.


	21. Chapter 20

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Twenty

"Damn it, Leia…" He underestimated his sister. Since no one knew the exact amount of medication she had given him to put him to sleep, no one knew how much to give him to wake him. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how one looks at it, he was given too much. His heart rate was rapidly increasing and his other vitals were abnormal. Sarris could already feel the heart attack beginning, but there was no one left on his medical staff that he truly trusted. And with his already weakened body, thanks to the Stormers… Death was ready for him.

He underestimated the boy, also. He really didn't believe that kid would have succeeded in reprogramming the girl's device AND making it so that Sarris couldn't do a damn thing about it. Though he should have… he was Trinity's son, after all… But even though Sarris made the proper adjustments in his security system so that it won't happen again, Michael had already taken what was important.

If he had any strength at all, he'd be throwing one hell of a temper tantrum, which was only worsening his blood pressure.

"Well played, Love…," he whispered through labored breath. At least he'd have one consolation. The Storm is broken. Even if they don't end up destroying each other, he knew they'll never recover from this. He only wished he could live long enough to see the results. But he knew that wasn't happening.

The gundams, by now, were being dispatched. It was only a matter of time...

He'd lost. In retrospect, he should have known better. The Barton Foundation had a million failures regarding the people involved. Sarris thought he had evolved beyond their mistakes, he knew the foolishness and arrogance of his father. He honestly thought his methods were superior. Well… looking at the Storm, the project was a success, just not HIS success.

It was amazing how death can bring clarity to the mind. Only now did he see where his own mistakes were, and what he should have done to prevent them. He had inherited his father's arrogance.

Damn those people… At least he knew he wouldn't be alone in Hell, not for long, anyway. Still, he absently hoped that the Stormers would make a last ditch effort to truly make him pay. He had to admit, as painful as their last mental invasion was… The feeling of the three of them as one inside of him… it was almost euphoric… Not a bad way to go, when you think about it.

* * *

><p>Quatre was glad he had his friends to draw strength from. Otherwise, this would have been over before they had even left the atmosphere. As frustrating as things already were, having to make adjustments to their gundams' upgrades as they were going into battle would have been impossible if he didn't have them to lean on.<p>

He just wished Heero hadn't put him in charge. Emotions were running rampant through all of them. Channeling them all was overwhelming. His heart was racing and he felt like he couldn't catch his breath.

At least his friends caught on before he had a cardiac episode of his own.

Duo was playing some kind of music, if you can call it that, so loud that Deathscythe was vibrating with the beat. The others couldn't hear it, which they were grateful for. But Quatre knew that the music calmed him. And as long as he could do whatever he needed to make sure his suit was prepared for battle, more power to him. Quatre could still sense Duo's anxiety and exhaustion, but Duo had learned long ago to mask his true feelings. Even during the wars, Quatre found it hard to read Duo. It became easier as they became closer, but he Duo still wore masks that he couldn't read through. This was one of the few times Quatre was glad for it.

Wufei, Quatre didn't worry about. He knew his friend wasn't as emotionally involved with the situation as the others. The only thing that had him worried was the stress it was putting on his wife. But Quatre knew he was just as exhausted as the others. He had managed to succeed in taking Sally home for rest, but that hadn't lasted long. Sally had taken probably a thirty minute nap before she was back at the office, Wufei right behind.

Trowa was the one he was truly worried about. His brother-in-law had been in bad shape, and he felt as if it was partially his fault. After his visit to Cathy, taking the opportunity for them both to collect their thoughts, Quatre sensed Trowa's familiar soldier come back to him. Quatre could still sense his pain, it just ran too deep. There will be a lot of work to be done when this was over. Quatre didn't doubt that all of their relationships with the Stormers had changed. Even their relationships with each other had changed. But they were family. They could work this out. It would take time.

"_Quatre…,"_ he was pulled out of his thoughts by Trowa's voice. He hadn't realized how deep he was in them. _"Are you ready?"_

Quatre held his breath for a moment, releasing it along with a silent prayer.

"Yeah…," there was a slight hesitation in his response, prompting some kind of smart-aleck remark from Duo. He didn't really catch exactly what it was, but just Duo's familiar jovial nature made him smile.

"Alright, Sandrock… Let's do this… Hopefully this will be the last time…"

* * *

><p>"Something's wrong…" Nika had been watching out the window since the attack on their shuttle had stopped. The gundams were there. Leia had gone back to the cockpit to try to help the two pilots that had been injured during one of the attacks. She looked back to her brother as he paused in his conversation with Kiera. Nika didn't say much, it was a part of her personality. Alyssa usually did the talking for the both of them. It was one of the reasons they were rarely separated. But when she did speak, it was important, and she had his full attention. "Wing Zero isn't with them."<p>

Michael gave Kiera's hand a squeeze as he stood. She was reluctant to let go of it, so he pulled her up with him. She leaned on him for support as they both walked to the window, stopping just behind Nika.

"Something must have happened with Mom…" He glanced out the window for only a moment, counting, confirming Nika's observation. He looked back to Kiera giving her hand another gentle squeeze as he felt it tremble.

"Nika, go up front and see if you can't get communications established with the gundams. Uncle Quatre probably has the best idea about what's going on." He didn't even glance at her as he looked at Kiera, wondering if what he was about to ask her to do would be too much to ask of her.

His sister nodded without comment and left the two of them alone.

As soon as the cockpit door closed behind her, he took both of Kiera's hands in his. "We need to get through to the Stormers… I know finding Mom is probably not the best idea at the moment, and you don't know Aunt Iz or Thunder well enough… but… Can you still feel traces of Lightning? Memories, feelings that aren't yours?"

Kiera tried to look away from him, biting her lip, but as commanding as his piercing gaze was, it was also comforting. He knew what he was talking about. He wouldn't ask her to do something he didn't believe she was capable of doing. He had helped her manage to ease the headaches without putting too much thought into it. She trusted his judgment and guidance. And she understood what he was trying to tell her to do.

But it was easier said than done. The memories that she had felt after waking had begun to fade. And she had to concentrate more than she wanted to at finding something strong enough to grab hold of. It was making the headache come back.

_I… I'm trying, but they're not as clear as they were a moment ago…_

She started to tremble. He helped her back to the bench they had been sitting on and eased her down onto it. He sat beside her, firmly holding her hands.

"I know it's a lot to ask… Don't try to look for a solid memory, you'll only hurt yourself. Find one and latch on. The longer you hold on to it, the clearer it will become. Concentrate only on that memory."

She nodded and closed her eyes.

"Now follow that memory, sort of like a road, eventually, it will link you to Lightning… I hope…"

That got him a slap on the arm. And he didn't even see it coming. She stared at him, a hard glare in her eyes.

_You hope? Michael …_

"Don't lose the memory, Kiera. Okay… It's only a theory. Remember I don't have the ability to test it. But as long as you hold on to something that belongs to her, you should be able to link yourself to her. If you have to, think back to your first connection to all three of them… That had to have been when she joined with you… You might be able to track her from there…"

He was right… Thinking back, that was when the headaches stopped… At least, that was when the most negative effects of the device had stopped. And she hadn't forgotten that meeting, how could she? She nearly killed his mother… Every part of that night was burned into her mind and she could see it clear as day. It was a hell of a lot more tangible than any of the fading memories of the Stormer she had been trying to grasp. Turns out it was the right road to take.

But any celebration at the successful connection was suddenly halted and her face filled with worry as she looked back up to Michael.

_She blocked me, Michael. She said they had a crisis on their hands, but I couldn't even get a glimpse of what was happening…_

* * *

><p>Heero hadn't gotten a clear answer out of anyone as to where TrinityTempest had gone to. The only thing they knew was that she wasn't in the Med Center with the other Stormers. He'd called the house, but was informed she hadn't returned there. There was only one other logical place she would have gone. And for some reason, that wasn't helping his anxiety any. If anything, it made it worse.

Fighting his sister wasn't an option. But hitting her with a heavy tranquilizer like he had Kalli wasn't either. They had both been conditioned against certain medications. It would take a dosage large enough to kill Trinity to bring the soldier down. Unfortunately, that was the last resort if they couldn't contain the soldier. He didn't want to lose his sister again, but he knew she'd agree that if there was a choice to be made, she'd gladly die before completely becoming the weapon she was created to be.

At least he wasn't walking the long hallway alone. Thunder and Lightning were right behind him. Neither of them should get so close to the soldier in the first place, not in their current condition.

He hadn't asked for help, not that he would have anyway, but they had known him long enough to know what to look for. There had been a little bit of panic in his eyes when they couldn't locate Trinity. Heero had a suspicion what Trinity was doing, she spoke of it once or twice before. And while he was telling them about it, he realized how serious her situation was, and how desperate she may be.

None of the trials Trinity had run with the program ended well. If she did it right, yeah they could be free of the devices forever. But one wrong calculation and it could kill all three of them.

He hoped he wasn't too late. The closer he got to the door, the more his head pounded. The battle against the soldier had begun, and it was fierce. Even he could sense the tension between Lightning and Thunder as they tried to shield him from the effects.

Thunder and Lightning didn't even bother with the code to the door, collectively attacking the locks, completely frying the box with the keypad. At the same moment, a single gunshot was heard from the other side of the door.

"Neesan…" Heero's heart caught in his chest as the pain disappeared. He was vaguely aware of Thunder's hand on his chest, forcing him back away from the door as a telekinetic blast from Lightning sent the door off its hinges.

"The soldier was winning…," Thunder said, commanding his attention. It was all she said for a moment, but he understood what it was she didn't say. Trinity or Tempest would have done what was necessary to stop it.

"She's still alive…," Lightning's voice came from inside, but it was shaky. The loss of Tempest was having an effect on her own inner battle.

Heero rushed past Thunder. He literally fell to his knees beside his sister as Lightning tried to press a towel against the wound. He took the towel from her shaking hands, applying pressure as Thunder went straight to Tempest's computer.

"S-Sally and L-L-Lange are on their w-w-way…," Lightning's hands clenched into fists, resting on her knees as she looked up to Thunder as she looked over the content on the screen. "W-w-we don't have t-t-time for a trial… Is it… Is it ready?" She shut her eyes tightly, concentrating on her fight.

Thunder hesitated in answering. She looked at Lightning, concern in her eyes. There was no telling what kind of repercussions this would have, no telling what it could do to Kalli's baby. And after all the other danger they had put the baby in, would it be worth it?

Heero looked up at her, his voice full of emotion. "Even if Trin survives, the soldier wins, Tempest will be too weak to fight it. Lightning is going to lose her battle now that Tempest is gone…"

Thunder nodded, briefly exchanging glances with Lightning. Without a second thought, she turned back to the computer. "Uploading now…"


	22. Chapter 21

AN: So.. yeah.. almost a year since I've written a new chapter. Lost my inspiration for writing period, for a while. Lost many, many, many years of writing when my flash drive snapped in two and it really hurt my feelings. Then I dropped GW and tried out other genres to get my groove back. I think I found it!

Thank goodness I had these stories posted here. I had to start over almost completely from scratch and re-read what I had written before, and WOW... did I throw a LOT of loops in there... and left a lot of loose ends... gonna be tough to wrap it up quickly... so it may drag for a few more chapters than I intended.. :o) You don't mind, right?

On with the show!

Operation: Hurricane

Chapter Twenty-One

He couldn't stand it. Something had happened to his mother, he knew it. And he couldn't do a damn thing about it. He hated that feeling. He knew she hadn't fully recovered from the attack that Kiera had been forced to make on her when all this mess started. God knows what she'd been through since he and Nika were taken. But judging by the intensity of the battle outside and the absence of Wing Zero… Things didn't look good. He was grateful, at least, that the gundams were drawing fire away from the shuttle and he could give all his concentration to Kiera.

_I'm sorry, Michael… It's getting harder and harder to focus…_

Kiera's mental voice was shaky. Michael couldn't help but be proud of her. Considering what he knew about the implant and the program… He was surprised she survived at all, much less had the control that she had. It might very well have been because of Lightning's presence. The more time that passed, the more evident that was, as she was beginning to show the same signs of reaction to the device as she'd had in the beginning. And that scared him to death.

He stroked her hair as she laid her head in his lap, fighting to keep his own mental walls up, to keep her from worrying more. He'd never been so scared of losing someone. There was always the possibility there of losing his mother or father, or his uncles and aunts… but he knew the dangers of their work at times… and he and Nika were prepared if they didn't return from one mission or another. That didn't mean he wouldn't try to find a way to save them, but they were prepared, nonetheless.

But Kiera… If he would have checked his damn messages, she wouldn't be here. Then again… thinking about it… he probably would have gone with her. After finding out just how tight the computer system, he had been just as curious, himself. He hated to think what would have happened then, especially after finding out he'd been one of Barton's targets. He probably would have had no trouble adjusting to the implant, considering his mind was already conditioned to its effects. He cringed, knowing the damage that could be caused. He didn't think he could have been able to cope with being the one to have hurt his mother and his aunts. Kiera had been doing well to hold herself together.

But then, that could also have been Lightning's influence. He looked down to her as he felt her begin to tremble, praying it wasn't the beginning of a seizure. He brushed her hair back away from her face, releasing a small sigh as she tried to hold back tears. He frowned as he let his hand linger on her cheek. He moved his hand to her forehead just to make sure. She had been running a low fever since shortly after she woke, but it had risen, and quickly. He shot a quick look up to Leia before turning his attention back to Kiera.

_I'm sorry, Michael… God, I'm so sorry…_

"Shh…" He kept his voice soft and even, extremely controlled despite the knot of fear in his chest. "It's alright, Kiera. Just rest now. You've done well."

_Well?!_ Tears flowed freely as she gripped the fabric of his pants in a tight fist. _I could have killed your mother, Michael._

"It wasn't you that attacked my mother, Kiera… it was him…" He ran his fingers through her hair, keeping his voice low, fighting to keep it under control. "Mom doesn't fault you for it, neither do I. If anything, I blame myself…" He sighed softly as his fingers stopped a moment. "I should have been there with you. I should have checked your message. I know, I would have been caught, too. But you wouldn't have been alone. And I damn sure wouldn't have let him hurt you…" His voice finally betrayed him as it cracked, which drew her eyes up to his.

He didn't say anything else more for a moment, as Leia knelt in front of them, checking Kiera's vital signs. But his thoughts were running ninety miles an hour. A part of him hoped she still had the control to sense it, because it was everything he wanted to say to her, but couldn't form the words. She gave him a small, frail smile as she reached up, taking the hand that had been working through her hair. He didn't know what was more frightening, the act itself or the fact that her grip was so weak. He gave her hand a squeeze, refusing to let it go as she closed her eyes, shivering. He looked up to Leia as she placed her stethoscope around her neck.

"Her temperature is continuing to rise too quickly. Her heart rate and respiration are both irregular. I can get an IV started, give her something to help steady her vitals, but if we don't get her to your medical center soon…" She paused a moment as she pulled a blanket over Kiera's shoulders. "I'm afraid I can't help her any more, Michael."

"Just… do what you can… please…" Michael had spent his entire life curbing his emotions. Bottling them up, locking them away. It was instinct. This was twice he'd lost that control. But this time, he couldn't recover himself.

And the bad news just kept coming as Nika emerged from the cockpit, quickly getting into her seat directly across from Michael.

"Detonation sequence has started… and it looks like its extending to the dolls and suits outside, but they're still not retreating… The ride's about to get really rough… and…" She paused a moment, tightening the strap after buckling herself into her seat. She frowned at Michael.

"The gundams have lost contact with headquarters…" There was another pause as Nika took in a fortifying breath, breathing it out in a soft sigh, glancing down to Kiera. She looked back at Michael, her voice soft.

"I couldn't get through to Uncle Quatre… Wufei says he's unresponsive… Something's happened to the Storm…"

* * *

><p>The screams from the two Stormers just before they collapsed echoed in his ears. Not a split second later, Heero was left in darkness as the entire facility blacked out. Panic had never been a word in his vocabulary until that moment. His heart raced, its pounding drowning out the echoes. He wasn't about to release the pressure on the wound in Trinity's chest to check to see if Kalli and Izreina were alright. The darkness, which had never before bothered him, was eerily silent. He tried to control the pounding in his ears, straining to listen for the sound of their breathing, but he couldn't hear anything over his own heartbeat. He waited for emergency lights to come on so he could at least see them. But the generators never kicked on.<p>

Heero's training would have normally taken over by this point, but his emotional walls had completely broken down. It took a very conscious effort to try to keep his breathing steady, to force his fears back into their dark hole. He wasn't about to let his sister die. Not after everything they've lived through. It wasn't going to end this way. Everything always worked out. Everything always turned out okay. This was going to, as well. It had to. That's the way it's supposed to work. The good guys live, the bad guys die. That's how it's supposed to be, damn it.

He cried. He didn't know what else to do. Sally and Lange were on their way down, all he could do was keep holding pressure on Trinity's wound until they arrived. Heero had never believed in a god before. But considering everything… if there was ever a time for a miracle… now would be it. So he prayed. To God, to Buddha, to Allah, to Zeus, to whoever would listen.

"Damn it, Trinity…" His voice was soft, shaky. "Kalli… Izreina… You can't die here… If you die, Barton wins, as well as every other bastard that used us all… treated us like a disposable tool… You're stronger than this… It wasn't the soldiers in you that survived everything… You were the ones that fought for your lives… You were the ones that protected your human hearts while the soldiers fought… You can't give up… Not when you still have so much to live for… Michael, Nika… Jacob…

"And, Kal… Don't you dare think I'm going to let you get out of facing Trowa. Lightning has already told him everything. He's hurting, not so much from what the Slave did, but from you and Lightning and your lack of trust. He's hurting because he can't help you. Not unless you ask him. I wonder, sometimes, if you still don't understand what the meaning of 'family' is… We ALL take care of each other, we ALL protect each other… When one of us is suffering, the others will do whatever is within our power to save them… TOGETHER…

"I know… I'm one of the world's worst about doing things on my own, but it's not long before the other pilots catch on and we eventually sync together, each doing our part, relying on the others to do their part. I know Duo, Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei have my back. And they know I have theirs. The three of you are a part of us, even your soldiers. We also have your backs, but you have to trust us…

"You can survive this… We can get through this… We always have… I don't know how yet, but that's something we'll figure out together…"

Something he had told Relena they had taken for granted, he was using to try to encourage them… if they could even hear him. Nevertheless, just saying the words was a comfort to himself and he was finally able to regain control of himself.

He held his breath a moment when he saw the beams from flashlights flickering from down the hallway, accompanied by rushing footsteps. He glanced to where Lightning and Thunder had collapsed just before the blackout. He could barely make them out in the dim light. But as the lights got closer, he could clearly see them. He breathed out a sigh of relief when he could finally see the rise and fall of their chests. It was rapid, but at least they were breathing.

His eyes met Sally's as she nearly literally crashed onto her knees on Trinity's other side. His voice as extremely controlled as he spoke to her, but there was still fear in his eyes.

"Self-inflicted gunshot wound. Holding pressure is controlling the bleeding, but if I let go…"

She nodded. He didn't need to finish the sentence. "Her pulse is weak… but it's there… We've got people standing by to life-flight them to the nearest hospital. All of Headquarters is blacked out, and they can't even get the generators started manually…"

She paused a moment as she placed her hand over Heero's, looking down to the blood soaked towel. She tried to switch duties with him, of being the one to keep pressure on the wound. But he refused to let go. She finally looked up to him, a stern look in her eyes.

"You haven't retired yet, Major. You have a duty still to do. Report to the Lady for your orders…" Her gaze softened a moment as she glanced at Lange, who'd been tending to the other two Stormers. She looked back to Heero.

"Lange and I will stay by their side, Heero, until we're satisfied that they're out of danger. Leave this to us… the others need you."

* * *

><p>Quatre couldn't breathe. He couldn't even force himself to make the motions. A hyperventilating gasp here and there was all that could be managed. There was a searing pain in his chest and his head. His senses dulled for what seemed like an eternity before the pain in his head disappeared, leaving him feeling empty. The pain in his chest lingered. It felt like his heart was trying to tear itself out of his chest.<p>

Nothing around him was clear, except for the pain. The explosions going on around him weren't even registering in his mind. It wasn't until Heavyarms appeared in front of him to block a barrage of missiles that he gained a little clarity in his senses.

"TROWA!" He choked as he drew in a breath that only made the pain worse, coughing, almost violently as he screamed out his brother-in-law's name. This only made the attempt at breathing more difficult, especially once he tasted blood.

"_I'm alright, Quatre… But I'm out of ammunition. And that just took out the new upgrades to the armor..."_

Quatre was glad to hear his voice , though he could hear the strain in it. A part of him wished he could get the words out, telling Trowa what he was feeling. More importantly what he wasn't feeling, that he should have been.

"_We can't keep this up."_ Wufei's voice was, surprisingly, as equally strained. Quatre knew that Wufei wasn't as emotionally involved as the others, but the entire ordeal was just as hard on him. But it left him being the only one that had an even head on his shoulders._ "The explosions have started, and it's taking their own people with it. Barton, take Winner and head back. Maxwell and I will try to clear a path for the shuttle."_

Quatre suddenly took in another gasp, a sudden realization hitting him. He didn't know why he was able to draw in the breath this time, but he was glad for it.

"The shuttle! Did anyone check it for explosives?" There was a pause on the line as the words hit their marks. They should have known that Michael's escape was a set up. It had gone far too easily.

"_Fuck…" _No matter how many times Quatre had reprimanded Duo on his language, especially in front of Jacob, he had to admit, he'd thought about using it, himself, at that moment. The difficulty in breathing was the only reason he didn't.

"_I got it… right there on the underside just between the engines… Getting close enough for me to hop out and disarm it before they get to the atmosphere is gonna be tough… Stopping ain't an option… they'll get caught up in the other explosions… I can do it, but I need a stra—"_

Duo didn't even finish his sentence before a blast came from behind them, clearing away a path through the debris and remaining enemies. The shot just barely missed the shuttle. Duo shot a look at his rear monitors, preparing a string of curses for the source of the blast.

"_Straight enough for you, Duo?"_ Wing Zero lowered its buster rifle just as Duo recognized it. Zero took a moment to give Heavyarms some cover as Trowa retreated with Sandrock in tow. _"You don't have a lot of time…"_

"I'm on it…"Duo didn't need to be told twice. He smirked towards his best friend, despite his worry of what might have happened to their sisters. Just having his buddy join the battle gave him and the others hope. Whatever had happened, he knew Heero wouldn't have left the girls unless they were in good hands. And he didn't have to worry about anyone trying to stop him as he made his way towards the shuttle, because he knew the other pilots had his back.

"_Yuy, why can't we contact headquarters?"_

Duo cringed slightly as he finally reached the shuttle. He sent a quick message through to them so they wouldn't be too alarmed when he attached Deathscythe to the bottom of their hull.

He hadn't wanted to ask that particular question yet, as curious as he was himself. Because he knew the answer would have to do something with the Storm, and what Q had been experiencing. He didn't want to know yet. But leave it to Wu to get the inquiries out of the way as soon as possible… He thought about cutting his line off so he could concentrate on his task.

"_Total blackout… The entire electrical grid is fried… even the generators… There was a virus hidden in the files that Michael sent us. If one of us were working the computers we would have caught it… But the tech department didn't see it until right before the blowout. They're certain Tempest was the trigger…"_

* * *

><p>This hadn't been an expected outcome of the program Trinity had designed to free them from the devices. But, in all fairness, the test runs only showed what would happen, physically to her and the other Stormers. She couldn't anticipate what she and her counterparts would experience once the program was loaded. But this was far beyond what she thought she'd see.<p>

The void was white, vast, silent. But she wasn't alone. On either side of her, Izreina and Kalli both stood. And directly in front of them, stood their Storm personas. Both groups were battered and bruised. The image of Izreina was exhausted, leaning on Thunder for support. Kalli wouldn't stop shaking, even after Lightning took her hands, holding her close.

Tempest and Trinity looked at each others' chest, their uniforms completely saturated with blood. Trinity had been completely aware of the battle between Tempest and the Soldier. She'd known Tempest was losing. The Stormer hesitated to make the call, but ultimately, it was Trinity's decision to pull the trigger. But if they had died, Trinity was sure they wouldn't be standing here, whatever this place was.

Tempest answered, Lightning and Thunder falling in, the three voices in unison. "_**This is the collective consciousness of the Storm. It would normally represent Haven, but we're not fighting a physical enemy this time. And we can't do it alone. This is the final fight for your lives, for your freedom. We can't protect you anymore. But we can still fight beside you a little while longer.**_"

Trinity nodded as their attention was drawn to something in the distance. She reached out, taking Kalli's and Izreina's hands as they attempted to take a step backward, hoping the gesture could give them strength. Coming towards them were the images of the Slave and the Soldier. Behind them was the devil himself.

"Sarris…" Trinity exchanged a glance with her sisters before meeting Tempest's gaze, another final nod.

"Mission accepted…"


End file.
